


Snippets that wont let me be

by LunasWufei



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-25
Updated: 2016-12-22
Packaged: 2018-06-04 10:08:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 60,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6653647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LunasWufei/pseuds/LunasWufei
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>These are the snippets in my head that just wouldn't leave me alone. The type that just poke you in the side of the head until you want to tear your hair out. Anyway, here they are, in all their terribly written glory!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing except most of the lore/back story of the Diablos Family. Everything else mentioned that belongs to J.K. Rowling... belongs to her, really. I make no money off of this. 
> 
> AN: This is the first of my snippets. I know a multitude of writers have these, and well, this is mine. This is where I will be posting from now on, really. No real multi-chapter stories unless I get an overwhelming desire for something I write to be continued. I am of course open to anyone wanting to adopt any snippets, or story ideas. 
> 
> AN2: The first two dozen or so of my snippets had no beta, and were way before I really got better with my narrative and the like. Please, bear with them. Thank you.

 

 

Snippet #1: History of the Family of Diablos.

  
November 8th, 1991, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Library, Restricted section.

  
Hermione Granger sat on a table in the restricted section, reading over a tome that was probably as old as the Ministry of Magic itself. She had a pensive look on her face as she was doing her best to read it over. It was in Olde English, so it was a bit of a stretch, if not impossible. She was about to close the book when she turned the next page and it cut her finger. She yelped softly as blood landed on the book and then was mesmerized as it started translating into the Queen's English. She gasped and then, suckling on her finger, started reading hungrily.

 

* * *

 

 

The Diablos family is shrouded in mystery and darkness, but in this tome, these words account the truth. How is this tome different than others? It is simple, mortal, they were written by one of the ageless servants of the Diablos family. One would assume it would be a near endless praise for said family, but this servant was ordered to write through his own eyes and those of others. These words are a collection of every such thing. The blood and shadow magic in this binding, the pages, and the very words ensure nothing but truth and sincerity.

 

The current Lord of the family, Scorch Meglon Diablos, has been such a Lord for nearly one thousand years. His long life and influence is a testament to his power and intellect. Most lords of the house of  
Diablos are slain by their enemies, or their very heirs. To stay alive amongst both shows just how great of a lord he is.

 

As it is my duty to scribe all, I am permitted to write my Lord's true age. He was born under a blood moon deep within the furthest reaches of the nine hells. Born to the first demon Lord of house Diablos. Upon the year you read this, mortal, 1991, he has lived for Seven thousand Six hundred and fifty three years. You read this, and you are in awe, but as he is born to a Demon lord his life is greatly extended. Were he never to be fatally wounded, or stripped of his power, there is no limit to his age.

 

Immediately upon his birth he was torn away from his mother and cast into the pits of torment to determine his strength, his ability to survive. As a mortal, who reads this, you are no doubt not amused by this 'cruelty'. It does not matter, however, for as I have stated, he has reached an ancient age, as such he did survive the pits. When he emerged a blink has passed to his parents, but to mortals forty years had passed. He emerged a man in mortal eyes, blood thirsty and cruel. His first act upon returning was to slay his eldest brother and claim heir status for when his father was to pass it.

 

Centuries passed, and they were rife with sin and evil, as is the existence of demons. Upon his thousandth birthday, Scorch ascended from the hells into the mortal plane of man. Instead of simply causing terrible destruction and evil, he decided to corrupt man to their cores. He went about the earth, spreading sin and corruption as he did so. Every several decades taking a new visage, but never halting in his deeds. It was amusing to say the very least to him and his family.

 

For a thousand years Scorch continued this, until he grew tired of the earth and set out to find other forms of life throughout the cosmos. It was in his absence that the Goddess of Life and Magic, Isis, felt it the proper time to bestow upon these mortals the gift of magic. In later years she would be ashamed of their direction for it, but would not interfere.

 

Scorch did find new forms of life to amuse himself with, and it was in these next millennium that he himself changed. While ruthless and blood thirsty as demons are by nature, his demeanor altered, calmed. Instead of a demon that shamelessly went about causing destruction and mayhem, he used his intellect and power to corrupt. To take the hearts and minds of all forms of intelligent life and twist it to his needs. In doing so he became wealthy, he became even more powerful, and it was with great glee that he took over worlds and galaxies.

 

It was upon the year nine hundred and fifty seven that he returned to earth to start his corruption anew on the planet. He was met with not just normal mortals this time, no, there were those whom could manipulate magic. They called themselves Wizards and Witches, and he laughed at the thought of such foolishness. Almost immediately he started to sink his influence into the governments of the world, both magical and non. He acted from the shadows, but he did not need to do otherwise for the time being. In the magical world he made a house for his family line, the Demon House as it is known today.

 

It was in the year thirteen hundred and forty seven that his first true competition emerged. Not from the mortal planes, but from the demonic ones. A lesser, but growing house, the house of Electros had slain all but his two youngest siblings, and he was to be next. The following conflict would be remembered amongst mortals without magic as the Black Death. Historians would speak of it as the Bubonic plague, but those of magic knew it was a clash of magic and corruption between two demon Lords.

 

Demon Lord Electros was banished back to the nine hells, cast into the pit of anguish for all eternity for his acts upon another demon house. Lord Scorch took his spoils; the armies of the fallen lord, and his wife. The Lady Ingrina was not pleased by this, but she had a plan to usurp her new husband. She, however, underestimated the mute, ageless servant of the house of Diablos. Tasked, I was, with monitoring her at all times when she was not with my lord. Through my time around her I discovered her scheme, and because of this my lord came up with one of his own.

 

There were no children born to the house of Diablos before his son and daughter. Upon their birth their mother spirited them away to one of my Lords many homes on another world, to raise them to her own image and mind set. It was in this time that my lord created a contract signed in blood, and bound in shadow and flame. His heir must not only be the youngest, but they must have lived within his presence for a minimum of 21 mortal years. Lady Ingrina did not know of this, so upon her return she demanded her children slay their father for his throne.

 

Father and child fought, and it ravaged many a planes in their wake. Both mortal and astral planes were decimated, yet the father was victorious. Both children were banished to another galaxy, while lady Ingrina was banished to the abyss for all eternity, never to be given a moment’s peace or chance of repentance.

 

More centuries passed, and with them Scorch gained more wealth while his corruption and influence spread throughout the earth, and he was happy. Nothing of great significance came until the middle of the twentieth century. A self-proclaimed Dark lord rose to power within Great Britain. His name was Gellert Grindelwald and he had gained an artifact of power thought lost to the mortal magicians: The Elder Wand. The story of the Three Brothers is well known, and the myth is that Death himself gave the brothers their artifacts of power. It was not mere myth, but truth as death had been bereft of any meaningful activity that day.

 

Grindelwald proclaimed blood purity was to be attained, to cleanse the world of those impure. Through his occupation of the minds and hearts of his followers he was assisted by a non-magical man by the name of Adolf Hitler. Both cleaved a bloody swath through their respective communities, but were both ultimately defeated. Hitler by his own mortality and Grindelwald by his one-time lover, Albus Dumbledore.

 

Albus Dumbledore was then proclaimed as leader of the light by the Wizarding Community of Great Britain, yet deep in his heart he kept the belief that his lover had been right. Not in the sense of senseless slaughter, but purity had to be maintained. He hid it well, however, but his heart was far from pure. To this day it still remains stained, still remains inky and black, coated in a false veil of goodness.

 

In Nineteen Seventy One my lord was sent a missive by one 'Lord' Voldemort. Said missive spoke of a promise power, influence and riches, if only my lord were to kneel and bear his dark mark. It is with mirth that I write my Lord sent a missive in return, reminiscent of what is known as a Howler. It was not, however, filled with words of anger and denial. No, instead it was filled with the greatly amused, and condescending laughter of my lord.

 

The 'lord' Voldemort responded with violence and force, yet was unprepared for the retaliation of my lord. He a group of his 'death eaters' to my lords place of business, and was surprised when they returned to him... in several boxes. The threat was evident, and even as he rose in power, the one known as 'Lord' Voldemort backed off from any further attempts to gain my lords favor.

  
The first blood war ended, thanks to the protective blood magic of one Lily Marie Potter Nee Evans, destroying the physical form of the 'lord' Voldemort. Her son, last living of the Potters, Harrison James Potter, was taken to the home of his last living relatives, the Dursley’s, and placed upon their doorstep.

  
He was then, upon the next morning, found by my lords personal secretary, one Sally O'Hara. From there, after some words with the matriarch of the Dursley household, she brought the child to my lord. He decided to raise the child as his heir, to continue his legacy, and raise a child in his own image and designs. In later years he would be adopted into the house Diablos and be known as Harrison James Potter-Diablos. A demon to his enemies, a son to his father, friend to those who knew him.

  
I watch now, even through the heavens and stone, over my little lord. I watch him traverse through his education, watch him gain friends and enemies. I will, as I have done for my lord, continue to scribe all things of importance. From his adoption, to the first instance of demonic rage that flooded his senses. The same rage that caused him to order a life being taken.

 

~HFD~

  
The words cut off and Hermione blinked softly and shook her head. This... scribe was watching Harry? He wrote of the incident with the Troll... but, she didn't see anyone around. She looked around and then looked back at the book, which was blank now. She shuddered and put the book back, making her way as silently as possible out of the restricted section and back to her dorm. She had some questions for Harry, and she hoped she wouldn't be crossing any boundaries.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Nothing Harry Potter related belongs to me, I just use the idea's and make no money off of it.
> 
> AN: Now, this is something that has been bothering me for some time. Not in the bad sense, just in the 'I must write this!' sense. I am a serious H/Hr shipper, but this just kept bugging me. There will be some Hermione and select Weasley bashing, be forewarned.

Snippet #2: Pale Blue Eyes

Pale, almost emotionless blue eyes stared at the Golden trio from the Slytherin table. These eyes held a cold anger beneath their normal stony calmness, and the gaze was calculating as it was unblinking. These eyes belonged to one Tracy Davis, and she was not a happy witch. Why was she not a happy witch? One name came to mind; Hermione Granger. Well, if she was honest with herself several names came to mind, but right now that filthy, no good, conniving mudblood was the target of her ire. Normally she did not give into the standard pureblood horse shit, but she felt the muggleborn witch deserved it.

She had to, begrudgingly of course, give credit to the witch, as she was doing something that not even Dumbledore was privy too. And if he was, they was just an extra person for her to really... hate. She had actually became friends with the boy-who-lived back in second year, but after that summer he had changed. He had been studious, charming, and the house prejudices were not even registered to him. That all changed when he came back for third year. He looked at her as if he didn't know her at all, not only that but he was taking COMC and Divination. Divination for Merlin's sake! They had agreed to take Runes and Arithmancy together.. as friends of course.

It was sixth year now, and she grated her teeth, growling to herself as she remembered what she had come across. She had been walking back to her dorm after getting a midnight snack when she heard someone talking to someone else in one of the empty potions classrooms. She placed a few sound dampening charms on herself and went to investigate, only to have her ire raised as she discovered an ongoing foul deed. As it turned out, one Hermione Granger had started to brew a potion to control the boy-who-lived. He was strong willed, and had magic to boot, but it was a potion keyed to him by his blood. She didn't know how the filthy mudblood got it, but still she did, and was using it against him.

Among her co-conspirators were none other than the two youngest of the Weasley brood. She remembered the conversation as if it was yesterday, even it being a few days after the start of term, and it was now mid October.

"Hermione, why can't we just, do this up near our dorms?" The human bottomless pit asked, more liked whined, causing both females to scoff but the youngest to answer.

"Because, stupid, people will look for us there. They won't dare look for us near the Slytherin dorms, I thought you knew that?" He huffed but conceded, Ginerva turning back to their potioneer. "How much longer, Hermione?"

"Not too much longer now, sweetheart. This one has to be a bit stronger... he started fighting the other one over the summer after the mutt kicked it." There was a collective snort before she went on. "One more year and I'll snag him up. Fertility and lust potions mixed in will have me and you knocked up and rich before the end of 7th year." She sighed softly. "I won't have to deal with my shit head parents or any of these morons anymore. I'll have access to the Potter and Black libraries and i'll be able to do whatever the hell I want." She smirked and shared a kiss with both Weasleys, which made Tracy's stomach do an un-natural flip.

"There is no counter to this, right?" The Weasley male asked, having not really paid attention as he was too busy thinking about all the food and women he could buy with his share of the Potter-Black fortune. The response came from his sister.

"Yes there is a counter, but whats the point in me telling you if we're not going to use it? Just... keep a look out and shut up." Ronald grumbled and went to the door, not noticing the disillusioned Slytherin as she slunk away.

Tracey had seen the potion book the mudblood had and took a look at the Slytherin copy in her dorm common room. The potion was meant to control dangerous criminals in their own mind, stronger and more illegal than the Imperius curse. It was banned not only in Great Britain, but in 70% of the magical world, considered one of the foulest of potions. She had thankfully found the counter as well in the same book, the trouble was getting Harry alone and getting it to him. She was booted from her staring and self thinking by her friend and dorm mate, Daphne Greengrass.

"You've been staring for almost ten minutes, Tracey, what's wrong?" She blinked, her eyes dry, before she un-clenched the utensils in her hands and responded. Her voice was dead and stoic, but Daphne could hear the... rage underneath.

"Nothing is wrong, Daphne. Excuse me, I have a prince to talk to." Daphne's eyes narrowed softly, that was something Tracey said she would never do. She watched as her friend got up and made her way to Malfoy, who was surprised to say the least, but he hid it under his arrogant drawl and sneer.

"What do you want, Davis?" He looked her up and down, a sneer on his lips just as disgusted as the one on Pansy, who was on his arm.

"I request a dorm meeting, it would being our house a much needed boost in the halls of Hogwarts." He did show his surprise, but it was momentary. He nodded almost imperceptibly, but showed no other acknowledgement.

"I'll think about it, Davis. Get out of my sight, it's starting to smell." He sniffed and Pansy snickered like the hyena she was before Tracey left the hall. She had quite a few things to prepare for the meeting.

~PBE~

The Slytherin dormitory had two common rooms, one for every day usage, and one for important meetings and planning. The second was rarely used, but when it was it was set up like a large conference room. Draco Malfoy was the official prince of Slytherin house, but it wasn't because of his father. No, he had earned that spot and actually did a lot more good for his house than he showed on the outside. They were not Slytherin's for nothing. He watched the room and table fill with the upper years and nodded when Tracey entered. She cleared her throat and started to speak when he gestured for her to do so.

"I request use of the projecting Pensieve." There was some collective murmuring and Draco had Crabbe go get it. Unlike him, Crabbe and Goyle were as simple minded inside the house as they were outside. When it was placed on the table Tracey carefully extracted her memory of the night she was bringing up. She had wanted to do this earlier in the year, but she had to wait for Draco to reclaim his throne again, he had lost it the previous year and she needed a familiar house mate.

"This memory is of the 8th of September. I show it now because at that time our Prince had yet to reclaim his place." Draco nodded and Millicent Bulstrode activated the pensieve. Tracey waited patiently for everyone to see the memory, and then looked at Draco. Most every one else did the same, and what they saw surprised them.

"So... it is because of that filthy fucking mudblood, and the blood traitors that my best friend was taken from me?!" Not many had known, but Draco and Harry had been close, so close one would think they grew up together. Harry had been quick to un-cover the Slytherin mask, and he was welcomed into the Malfoy family as a surrogate son. Tracey waited for Draco to take a few calming breaths before she nodded and spoke.

"Yes, my prince. I know of the antidote, but I do not have the ingredients or the skill for to brew it. I wanted this to be done before the Yule holidays, because who knows what they would do to him. The mudblood might even decide not to wait for Harry to be 17, we can't have that." Draco nodded, leaning back and thinking, mostly trying to reign in his temper. He would be lying if he said he didn't miss Harry, they were so close once upon a time. It was not his fault though, and they lifted a weight from his shoulders.

"Davis, get the book with the antidote." He turned to a 7th year. "Morath, get the ingredients she needs when she shows it to you." He turned, surprisingly, to a 4th year. "Astoria, when it is given to you make the potion. This takes priority over everything else, do you understand?" Astoria Greengrass lit up, nodding. Even in the eyes of Severus Snape she was a prodigy, and that was saying something as he was close to getting replaced as the youngest potions master in British history by said student.

"Yes my prince!" He smiled at the younger girl and then looked back at Tracey.

"Plan with Daphne, Zabini and Nott. I want to have that trio's footsteps planned out to the minute. I want to be able to find them when they are on the loo! We are getting our second prince back." He stood and left, but not before he took the memory from the Pensieve and made his way to his head of houses office. Severus needed to see this, he too had wondered what had happened to the Potter heir.

~PBE~

Hermione Granger, Ginerva Weasley, Ronald Weasley, and Harry Potter were walking towards the 7th floor corridor that held the room of requirement, they had some... savior training, as they were going to call it, to start. Even in his mind addled state, he still needed to know how to please the two witches who would be his child bearers. As Hermione was about to make the third pass to conjure their room they were peppered with spell fire. Before shields could be thrown up the four Gryffindors were stunned on the cold stone floor. Tracey came out and delivered a swift kick to the stomach of the mudblood who started this all, then another... and another, before she was pulled back by her best friend Daphne.

"Stop! She'll get hers, just... wait." Tracey huffed and then the four were levitated as Draco conjured his own room. Tracey, Daphne, Crabbe and Goyle, Draco, Theodore and Astoria entered the room that had formed. It was reminiscent of the Slytherin common room but with a bed to the side for Harry to recover on. The three criminals were tied up and dropped on the floor with no shortage of harshness, being left alone as Astoria took out the precious antidote from her robes.

"It is charmed so that every drop leaves the vial, I also charmed it to be indestructible, my prince, just in case." She handed the potion to Draco and got a caress to the cheek and a soft kiss in reward. She shuddered softly, their relationship was budding but she knew they would be perfect for each other. He turned and then sat on the bed next to his brother in all but blood, the brother he was going to reclaim tonight.

"How long does it take to work, Astoria? He's been on this potion for three years... at least." He looked at her before looking back at Harry.

"The normal antidote takes twenty minutes, but I made the safer one so it should take three hours." He nodded and then opened Harry's mouth, pouring in the potion and massaging his throat to help him swallow it. When not a drop was left in the vial or on Harry's tongue he closed his mouth and capped the vial.

"Now, we wait. But... let's not be idle, shall we?" He put up a silencing ward around Harry's bed, and a timer for two hours and fifty minutes. The collective Slytherins then turned to the bound Gryffindors and decided a little payback was in order. They did nothing to seriously maim or injure the fools, but there would be a little humiliation. The real payback would be when the memories were given to Dumbledore and the head of the DMLE. Sure, they could have done that first, but they needed to make sure everything was taken care of first. They took care of their own. Harry had always been a snake in lions clothing.

~PBE~

Harry James Potter-Black woke up to the soft, pleasant drawl of his best friend, Draco Malfoy. A smile on his face as he blinked and rubbed his eyes softly. He reached for his glasses and when they were presented to him he looked at his blonde brother.

"Fuck... you got old, Drake." He was embraced by his brother, and the girl he had hoped could be more than just a friend some day, Tracey. He smiled and sat up with a low groan, shaking his head of the remaining cobwebs of the potion.

"So, I got the jist of it... memories really, but what's going on?" That was when Tracey took the lead and started explaining everything he had missed. At least what he couldn't exactly remember. The potion created a second mind, and while it was not his own, he didn't have to take three years of classes again. At the end of it he closed his eyes and let out a long, suffering sigh before looking at his friends again.

"So, what is going to happen to the trio of fuckwits?" There was a collective chuckle and then they told Harry of the plan to get the authorities involved, and he was anything but against it. They had controlled three years of his life he could never get back, and he was not about to let that slide.

~PBE~

No-one could say that the boy-who-lived wasn't a merciful soul, but when you messed with his life, and those of the ones he cared for... well, you were in for an existence of misery. He brought down the full force of the Potter and Black families on the two youngest Weasley's and the muggle-born Granger. As the mastermind behind it she was sentenced to having her mind wiped of all magical knowledge and given over to the muggle authorities to spend a good portion of her days in prison for her crimes. The two pure bloods were sentenced to three years in Azkaban, but before they could smirk at getting off so lightly, the second sentence of the rest of their lives to be lived as muggles had them paling and screaming for mercy.

The rest of the Weasley clan abandoned their two youngest for their crimes, and begged for the forgiveness from Harry. As they had nothing to do with the plans, he embraced them as the family they had once embraced him as. Dumbledore had been oblivious to all of this, and he apologized profusely to Harry when he found out. Not only that, but he resigned from his three major positions, speaking that he no longer saw the forest for the tree's. He was too hung up on the bigger picture that he did not notice the little details anymore. He would retire, occasional taking over for Minerva as Transfiguration teacher at Hogwarts.

Harry got back into the swing of things, once more raising to the top of the academic charts and opening the friendly pathways between the houses once more. He eventually caught up completely, and then went above and beyond that as well. While he missed his godfather, he never really knew him, but he would make the Black family name something to be proud of again. And all of this was possible, thanks to a pare of Pale Blue Eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Well, that's how it went in my head, nothing really spectacular, but there you have it. Hope at least someone enjoys it. Read and Review, please.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling does. I make no money off of what I produce.
> 
> AN: SO, This snippet popped into my head, as most do, and well... I feel it might be a little darker, or weirder than I am used to writing. We shall see.

Snippet #3: Willpower

_Willpower_   
_— n_   
_1\. the ability to control oneself and determine one's actions_   
_2\. firmness of will_

This word, this term, held a lot of meaning to a lot of people. Addicts of many forms, criminals or those who would be criminals, and of course Wizards and Witches. It was something that one Harry James Potter had a lot of. He showed it with his determination to face Voldemort in his first and second year, his ability to conjure a patronus that blew away over 100 dementors (that was a testament to his power as well), and of course to break the Imperius from none other than the feared dark lord himself.

So it was now that he felt himself losing his will to keep his temper in. People over the years had seen his 'temper' in his little tantrums and agitations, but it was a facade. What really was his temper was something that no one would want to see. You see, Harry had a secret. A terrible, dark secret that lurked just beyond his coherent mind. Teasing him, egging him on, wanting to be free. Dumbledore would think it was the influence of one Lord Voldemort, but that Horcrux, that darkness, had long ago been taken care of.

No, what rested in Harry was a product of ten years of living hell. Ten years of living at the Dursley's. His magic manifested into something.. sinister, something that was unlocked the moment Harry was connected with his wand. Oh the things that darkness wanted to do. No-one knew that when he got his invisibility cloak he took it more than once to the restricted section. Not even Harry knew it. His other self would wake him up and take him to read the darker, more sinister books. He would owl order terribly banned books, and read them for hours.

He could take control, but he wanted Harry to embrace it. He wanted Harry to merge with him, to unleash and absorb the beast. It was giddy with anticipation as Harry was currently writing with his own blood in detention. He was keeping the beast at bay for now, but the pain on his hand, the knowledge that his blood could be used against him, that was chipping at his will.

"This is your fault, you know. You could have been a good boy, but no. You wish to speak the lies, try to convince others of your idea's." Harry tried to tune out the sickly sweet, grating voice of their current DADA teacher: Dolores Umbridge. He was really trying, but it was hard, harder than taking a point blank Cruciatus. He almost flinched when she leaned next to his ear and whispered. "I know you know where the mass murderer Sirius Black is. The betrayer of your parents. You harbor a criminal, maybe you... are happy your parents are dead. We will catch him, and when we do we'll make sure you watched as he gets the kiss!" Her voice then left as she laughed, it was a terrible sound, and Harry just... let go.

~W~

Dolores Umbridge smirked when she saw Harry Potter twitch. It was coming, the ranting, the raving. Then, then more punishments for the little brat. She heard the chair move and she turned around to face the teen-aged boy and was surprised, literally she gasped, when he was right in front of her. His eyes were glowing, the smirk on his face made her own smirk from earlier look like a pleasant smile. It was... unsettling.

"I don't think so, Dolores. You see, my dear old godfather will be set free. I'll make sure of it. But first... first I'll take care of you." Before she could react her wand was plucked from her fingers and then she was struggling for breath. Not from a spell, but from strong, youthful hands. Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived, was strangling her. He was surprisingly strong for a teen so small, but then again she was not exactly the largest or most fit of witches. Her face started turning red, then slowly started turning blue as he kept up, and increasing the pressure.

"You know the funny thing, Madam Umbridge." Her title and name were spoken with a sweet venom as she smirked. "This is all your fault. Oh yes. I was content to watch myself get tortured, my studies to falter. But nooo... you had to bring in my family." Harry Tsk'd, the kind of condescending tsk you got from those who saw themselves better than you. "I do hope the reaper has fun with you, Dolores." He snarled and reveled in her face as he squeezed the last bit of life from her. He wiped his hands clean on her robes and using her wand cleaned his prints from her neck. He hummed and then snapped her wand after putting a mini dark mark over her desk.

Harry burned the parchment where his blood had been used as ink and made his way to the infirmary. It would help with his alibi because Wizards as a whole were stupid. He learned that, after his first year, and he used it to his advantage. Umbridge would shown all the signs of the asphyxiation curse, it did the same thing he did but with magic, and it took longer. Madame Pomfrey sighed when he came in, but when he showed her his hand and explained... she lost it. She was livid, and she used some rather colorful language to describe the woman.

With Harry's permission she took some magical pictures and samples of his hand before she set out to cure him. There would be some light scarring, but they caught it in time so it wouldn't be permanent. Harry was sitting, letting the salve she put on work it's wonders when Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape came into the ward. Immediately Harry felt a prickling behind his eyes when he looked at Snape, and seconds after that he screamed and clutched his head as he was taken to his knees.

"That's rather rude, Professor. I do not recall giving you permission to utilize Legilimency upon my person." Snape snarled as he twitched, he had been put under the Cruciatus in that small second, at least it was what it felt like. He got up shakily and took his wand out, only for it to go flying into the hand of the Hospital matron.

"How DARE YOU!? This young man has been tortured today, and you try and do the same with a mental attack!?" He yelped when he got a stinging hex to his hand, then his chest and legs. She was literally corralling Snape out of the infirmary, and when he was out she slammed the door and turned to Dumbledore.

"If you say a word about him doing it under your blessing, I will use every last bit of my power to make sure you have a bed with your name on it." She huffed and went over to Harry, checking his hand. "I also hope you are here to tell me you need evidence against that... that toad of a woman." She glared and Dumbledore frowned softly.

"She is indeed why we are here, Poppy, but not for the reason you might think. You see... Mr. Potter had a detention with her tonight." She nodded and a made a gesture to say 'get on with it' "She was just found dead. Strangled by the Praestrangulo curse. A rather dark curse..." He was trailed and was about to go on when he was interrupted by the stout witch.

"Don't you dare, Albus, don't you even dare! That curse takes at least seventy minutes to take effect, Harry has been here for close to two hours. He came straight after his detention and I had to tend to his wounds." She huffed and McGonagall came closer, now she was curious.

"Wounds, Poppy?" The matron nodded and showed her the evidence. It was stamped and proved authentic by the instruments Poppy was given for just such a reason. "My goodness... Mr. Potter... why didn't you say anything?" She looked at him, appaled, furious, and disappointed. She was put on the spot by the matron, yet again.

"Oh no, Minerva, you are not getting off here. Mr. Potter told me all about how you instructed him to 'Keep his head down' instead of tearing apart a witch harming one of your cubs!" The last four words were punctuated by a stern finger to the taller witches chest. Then she turned to Dumbledore, who looked about ready to bolt before her gaze turned on him and he froze. She came to him and growled, actually growled before speaking.

"And YOU! After last year, after the tragedy of the third task you send him back to his relatives house. Then, instead of helping him cope with what he saw, what he had been put through, you cut off everything from him! Oh yes, he told me. He told me how this year you have been avoiding him." She huffed and then took her wand out, looking at the two older magic users. "Out. OUT of my ward. I have a patient ot take care of, and unless you contract dragon pox ten steps from my ward, I don't want you in here till I am calm!" The two other beings in the middle of the hospital wing left, tails tucked between their legs as they did so.

Poppy then took Harry's wand and cast the proper spell to determine just what he had been casting, to eliminate him as a suspect of course. Harry was alright with that, Poppy was taking care of him. He didn't protest when she said he would be there for the night, he needed time to think. He had finally, after years of holding it back, become one with his darkness. He sighed as he laid down to sleep, but he knew it would only be his body recharging.

~W~

Harry spent two days in the infirmary, and his friends visited him between classes. He took to his studies and of course chatted with Poppy. She was like a mother hen, but he was fine with that. He missed that attention, and while she was a strong willed woman, she couldn't help but baby him... just a little bit. He found out that she was the one that delivered him, so there was a little extra bond between them. He left the infirmary on the third day, and surprised her by giving her a firm, grateful hug and a kiss on the cheek. She blushed softly and sent him off, telling him with not so subtle words not to be back here till at least after Christmas.

Harry made his way towards Gryffindor tower with a spring in his step. The last two nights were spent really embracing the darkness that he had held at bay. Oh, he was going to have a lot of fun from now on. Sure, he would still be good when it was needed, but he would no longer be the reckless Gryffindor. He would be the snake in lion's clothing. He smirked as he said the password, oh yes, the rest of the year was going to be... fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: That was all I had for that particular idea. I do hope it was alright. No beta, just a spell checking. Till next time.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: So, while they are snippets, as I start to write them more and more of them come. I guess it's not so bad. Anyway, enjoy a little bit of my personal nerd-ism coming through. Ah, before you read on, this will be serious cliche and Gary Stu territory. Sorry if anyone doesn't like it.

Snippet #4: Heart Stone.

 

A 7 year old Harry Potter rested on his knees and wiped his brow and let out a low sigh. He was currently in the basement of the house he lived in with his relatives. What was he doing down here? He was cleaning up to the best of his ability. He was doing this because he had gotten an A+ on his test, and Dudley got a D-. He was being punished for doing what his cousin could not. It was how families were run though, at least from what he had learned. Harry had started the day before, Saturday, and was almost half way done with the basement. While it was not large, he had to clean as the sun moved, as there was no light down here except for the small window opposite the stairs.

 

Harry was in one of the corners again when he moved the scrubbing brush a bit too hard and he heard some of the stone floor crack and crumble. He whimpered softly at this, he would get punished extra for breaking something. He sighed and turned to where his backstroking hand had been and he froze. The sunlight was perfectly angled in his vision, so he got to see what he had uncovered perfectly.

 

Where the hole was made, shining like a rainbow, strong and bright, was a glimmer of some kind of gem. It was about the size of his fist, but due to his size it really wasn't that large. However, Harry saw that it was covered by more stone. He bit his lip and started to tug the stone back, it was easy as there was a crack thanks to him. When it was all uncovered he gasped at the beautiful, football sized rainbow stone. He hesitantly reached out and touched it, and his fingers and skin sang in comfort and warmth.

 

He didn't know it at the time, but the purity of the stone and its magic purged his body of darkness and healed lingering scars on his body from his punishments. He picked it up; surprised it weighed about as much as a small bag of crisps, and stood. He found this... he could give it to his relatives. They would be happy with him, maybe even give him supper today! He smiled and let out a giggle, something he had not done in almost six years.

 

 

~HS~

  
Harry had been too optimistic in what his relatives would do. He had first been backhanded for coming up from the basement before dinner, and then the stone was ripped from his hands by his screeching aunt. Before anything could be explained he was picked up and almost bodily thrown into his cupboard by his whale of an uncle. It was slammed and locked shut and then Vernon went to see what had happened.

 

"Is everything alright, Pet? Do you need me to bring the freak out and show him what for?" He started to go that way anyway with a grin on his face before he felt a hand on his arm.

 

"Vernon... take a look at what’s on the coffee table!" He was startled at her near hiss of a command, and he did what was said. He gasped at the large, multi-colored gem. He went over to it and ran his hands over it, but unlike their nephew he felt nothing but the smooth, faceted surface. It was football shaped, and cut in the perfect way for a gem, even one that size.

 

"I assume the freak found it when he was cleaning." He looked up to his wife's face and they shared a grin. This... this was a huge gem. A piece of treasure, easily worth several tens of thousands of pounds! They could get a new car, renovate the house, hell, they could move if they want. They could get their precious Duddikins anything his little clogged heart desired. Vernon was about to pick up the gem when he got her hand on his shoulder this time.

 

"Vernon, all the banks and shops are closed. It's Sunday." He frowned and nodded, sitting on his recliner, he could get a new one of these too... this one kept creaking under his healthy weight. He stroked his chin and gazed at it. He then smirked, looking up at his lovely wife.

 

"Well, it's simple, pet." She looked at him with an inquisitive look. "We give it to the freak for the night. Let him... believe we gave it to him. Come the morning, we snatch it... give him a few strikes, and then get our well-earned payday." She lit up with a nod and a very unflattering giggle. She got up and they shared a rather lewd kiss, but they were thankfully un-noticed.

 

"I'll order some supper. We can spoil ourselves a bit, make sure to give him a little too, of course." She winked and he nodded. Life was looking up!

 

~HS~

 

Maybe Harry had been wrong to assume he had been too optimistic. He heard the doorbell ring about an hour (?) later before his door was opened. He was not torn from his little bed, but gently removed. He smiled warily at his aunt as she helped him out. From there he was allowed to sit at the table and eat, a nice filling meal, and then he was told to wash up in the bathroom. He was feeling amazing; things were looking up fro him. Maybe... maybe he'd get this all the time?

 

He was then taken back to his cupboard, but given a little something extra. He was told to hold and guard the gem until the morning. His Uncle told him he would be rewarded for doing a good job in the morning. He smiled and didn't notice the sinister smirks from his relatives as he was gingerly lead into his 'room'. It was closed, locked and he was left sitting in the dark with the gem, but he didn't feel bad, nope not one bit. He stroked the gem and listened as the stairs creaked when his relatives went to bed. As he heard the doors upstairs close the gem started to glow.

 

It lit up the little space he was in and he stroked it with a reverent sigh. His body was slowly being healed again, this time more in depth. He felt no pain as he grew and filled out to a child of his age, his mind growing to accommodate the same... and then it kept growing. He had fallen asleep after a few minutes of his body being bathed in sweet warmth, and as he slept his mind flooded. It flooded with memories, skills, knowledge of things no 7 year old should know. It called forth magic, magic far more ancient and powerful than anything that had been seen since the time of the pyramids.

 

This event, this change in Harry would herald in a new era, an era of peace and prosperity. No longer would the magic users of this world be content to live on their golden pedestals. An Dragon-mage was born in Harry Potter, and as the last bits of knowledge and power coursed through him, the stone crumbled into fine, pure powder. Harry Potter still lived, the seven year old child just had taken a new life into his own as well. He knew what the stone was, he knew it had chosen him, he knew what had to be done.

 

~HS~

 

Vernon and Petunia Dursley woke up to the delightful smell of breakfast being made. It wafted from the kitchen and they sighed as soon the smell of perfectly brewed tea made its way to their noses as well. They got up and showered, dressed and made their way to the kitchen. Dudley already there, eating his little heart out, with Harry cooking for his adult relatives. He seemed... different, but they couldn't pin point it. He turned to them and gave them a smile, and they knew something was different now. The boy never smiled. It was alright, they would let him have this.

 

"Boy, how did you get out of your room?" Vernon asked between large bites of his breakfast. Harry didn't answer, not out of rudeness, but because Dudley answered for him.

 

"I let him out, dad. I was hungry, and you and mum were still sleeping." He got a large, meaty hand on his shoulder.

 

"That's my boy! Alright the no punishment… this time." Harry nodded and then served his aunt, who was looking at him as she took the plate. She felt something different about him... then she really took a look at him. His hair was flat and well groomed, he stood at least a half foot taller, he looked less sickly as well. She then noticed he was not wearing glasses, and then she gasped and scooted away from him, face pale. The gaze he gave her was frightening, to say the least. He wasn't giving her a purposefully frightening look, but his eyes were no longer just green. No, they swam with color. Every single color you could imagine. He blinked and his eyes were back to their green color. She got up and went to the cupboard... and the gem was not there.

 

"BOY!" She shrieked and returned to the kitchen, furious yet scared still. She came back and glared at him as Vernon spoke.

 

"Pet?" He looked at her, then at Harry, who was eating at the table as if nothing was wrong.

 

"He did something to the stone! It's gone... and his eyes, they were colorful. Like the stone!" Vernon growled and got up, going to the young child and picking him up by the scruff of his neck. He yelped when he felt a prickling on his hand and looked to see that spikes had grown from his neck, only to recede.

 

"The stone is gone, Aunt Petunia... well, gone is the wrong word to use." He put a hand on his chest. "It's right here... where it belongs." Vernon snarled and went to backhand the boy and paled when his wrist was caught, and he couldn't move it. Harry's grip was vise like, yet he wasn't crushing.

 

"We'll have none of that now, Vernon Dursley. I am going to let go, and you are going to sit down. There are going to be some... changes in this house." His voice was still young, but it held an edge to it, the kind that a seasoned warrior would have. The adults in the room shuddered, both for different reasons, but they both knew that it was going to be a vastly different home environment from now on.

 

~HS~

 

Time passed, as it tends to do, and changes were already being made. There was no longer a #6 Privet drive, the plot had been bought and the house demolished. The house at #4 had been expanded, well almost. It had a single hallway type passage that connected it with a second house that was now on the plot that #6 used to be on. It seemed that the Potter child that lived there, who had apparently been a 'delinquent' was a certifiable genius, and had made marvels in the world and earned quite a bit of money to do such a thing. He lived there, alone, though he still had to be under the theoretical roof of his relatives, which was why the houses were joined. The passage between houses was rarely, if ever, used and they stood away from each other as much as possible.

 

With his ancient knowledge and vast intellect, there was no need for primary, or secondary school. Harry did, however, take the necessary tests so that he would not be bothered. He blinked softly when an owl came in through one of his open windows and landed on the back of one of the kitchen chairs. He blinked and his eyed turned from their emerald green to deep amber.

 

"Is that for me, beautiful?" The owl tilted its head and nodded a soft, female tone in his head.

 

"Yes, ancient one. Your letter to the school our mistress holds." Harry nodded and took the letter, gently stroking her breast feathers, erasing years from her life and making her shudder in delight at the knowledge she could serve her mistress for even longer. She spoke again as he was opening it and reading with a soft smile on his face. "A return message would be appreciated, ancient one." He looked up at her and nodded, snapping his fingers and making parchment and a fountain pen appear. He knew they would ask for quills, but he was not about to give up his fountain pens. He penned a quick response, and then stood up to give her head a soft kiss.

 

"Journey safely, beautiful." She preened under his touch and affection and was then gone with a flap of her large wings. He smiled and then put his pen away before dressing himself. After that he faded from view and re-appeared in a room at Gringotts. It was his persona, office; he received it the year prior. He adjusted his collar and ventured out into the bank, nodding in greeting to the nearest teller and going out into the Alley.

 

[AN: I have never done it before, and I want to try my hand at it, so here comes the obligatory cliché shopping trip. Skip if you like, I will mark the end with another AN]

 

Harry strode into the alley with a confidence little showed at his age. While he had countless years of knowledge, he was still physically an 10 year old boy, well at least he was for another week. He could make his own supplies, magic was wonderful like that, but he wanted to enjoy the experience of shopping for them in this part of his heritage. His first stop was 'Traxlemaxle Trunks: Go big or go home!', a shop that had recently boomed thanks to a secret partner. It was owned by a goblin named Souzxie, and she was an extreme business woman. He entered the shop and heard the small bell signal his entrance. The small statured female came out, covered in suit from god knows what and looked at him. She lit up and laughed softly.

 

"Boss! Fancy seeing you here today. What can lil' ol' me get for you, eh?" She had a grin filled with sharp teeth.

 

  
"Good to see you as well, Souzxie, I am here for a trunk for Hogwarts." She hummed and rubbed her smooth chin. "I was thinking of a deluxe model, I want to keep it for all seven years at school, and pass it down to my children of course." She nodded and rubbed her hands together. With a few waves of her hands a trunk appeared in front of the two of them. She patted it softly and smiled.

 

"There ya go, boss. One Deluxe model, 40% off." She grinned, he was the boss after all.

 

"40%?" He scoffed. "You have to be MAD, sweetheart, I won't take a percent over 20%" He had the money, and besides... this was not a cheap model to begin with. She grumbled, halfheartedly of course, and shrugged.

 

"You got me boss. Fine, fine... 15% off." He nodded and took out his gold purse.

 

"Great, here you go Souzxie." He counted out the coins. "Price with 10% taken off. A pleasure doing business with you." They snickered and then spent the next hour or so catching up, he had not been there in almost a month. They broke from conversation when a gaggle of redheads entered the shop, looking around in wonder. The short plump witch, clearly the mother, sighed softly at just how wonderfully expensive everything looked. She frowned at the young boy she was with, there were three others and a girl with her as well, and spoke.

 

"I am sorry, Ron, but all of these just... they look so expensive." He frowned and nodded, and that was when Souzxie chimed in.

 

"Well they might be a bit expensive, but they are the best. What kinda budget we lookin’ at here, eh?" She was in business mode, and she wanted to make a good impression on her boss, even though he had seen her work dozens of times before. Molly Weasley, as he learned through listening, was no slouch when it came to haggling, and he saw that his goblin friend could admire that. He watched and listened, but blinked when the young girl came up to him and spoke.

 

"Are you waiting for your parents here?" He smiled at her and then she curtseyed as she remembered her manners. "My name is Ginerva, but my friends and family call me Ginny." He nodded and gave a short bow, scooting over and then patting the spot next to him on his trunk.

 

"My name is Harry, and no, my parent's unfortunately passed away some years ago. Though I know they are watching me." He smiled and was surprised by the hug she gave him, chuckling and returning it. He felt her let go and saw her little blush as she apologized.

 

"Oi! Ginny, what are you doing bothering that kid?" Asked one of the identical red heads who came over, his brother coming up right with him.

 

"I wasn't bothering him! I was just talking to him is all. Right, Harry?" She smiled at him and he nodded, looking at the two older boys.

 

"That's right; me and sunshine here were talking about random stuff. She was kind of upset she can't go to Hogwarts this year, but I told her I’d be there next year to welcome her." He smiled and she blushed cutely, her brothers glancing at each other.

 

"Well, thank you for not immediately shunning our sister." One nodded and then they bowed together.

  
"I am Fred...

"No, no! I am Fred. Remember, it's Wednesday!"

  
"Yes, quite right. Well, I am George, and this is Fred. We are..."

  
"The Weasley twins!" They finished together and grinned widely, Harry snickering softly. He blinked and hummed to himself for a moment before pinging them with a slight marker to identify who was who. They then entered the conversation, and soon their younger brother, Ronald ('Just Ron, please') came in and the five of them had a nice conversation before he got a little ping of magic in his head. He glanced at Souzxie and they had a little conversation mentally before he nodded to her and went back to his talks. It was another five minutes before Mrs. Weasley came over and smiled.

 

"Well, Ronald, it seems that we can get a trunk here. Ms. Traxlemaxle." Said goblin coughed. "Sorry, Souzxie said that they have something called a payment plan, we can pay it off per month." Ron lit up, he would have a new trunk. Not a hand me down one, that was fantastic! He went over with his mother and they started planning it out. Harry hopped off his trunk, shrunk it, and bid the rest of the family farewell. He had shopping to do still.

 

His next stop was the apothecary, run by a most reputable (if a little... creepy) Potions master who went by the name and title Grand Apothecary Putress. The man was sickly looking, but Harry knew different. He had to be at least one hundred years old, but he still had his health and mind. Harry entered and met the grin of Putress with a grin of his own.

 

"Ah, young master Potter... here no doubt for your Hogwarts supplies?" Harry nodded and then set down, un-shrunk, and opened his trunk. "Ah, one of Souzxie’s deluxe models... excellent. Shall I fill it up then?" He asked, Wand out at the ready for the young child’s response.

 

"I'd prefer it in an alchemists satchel, so I have it accessible for potions class, make that three satchels.. just in case." Putress nodded and got right to work. Harry had been buying things for almost two years now, always back to spend his well, and hard earned gold. Soon Harry was putting away his purchases in the proper compartment before closing and paying. They had shared some conversation and then with a promise to return Harry left.

 

Next on his list were robes, and he knew just where to go for them. While Twitflit and Tattings was more upscale, it was also stupidly overpriced. You could get the same quality at Madam Makin’s for much cheaper, and the service was much friendlier. Harry walked in and hummed to himself before he was gestured to stand on a small block to be measured. He was not really paying mind to the others around him save for the seamstress measuring him, so he was partially startled by the voice from next to him. It was silky, young, and... spoiled, if that could even be possible.

 

"Hogwarts?" Asked the haughty, blonde child from beside him, causing Harry to raise an eyebrow.

 

"No, my name is Harry. I am getting my robes for Hogwarts, though. And you are?" He drew out his question, as he did know the name of the child, but he had a feeling who he was related too.

 

"Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. So, Harry was it? Right, were are your parents?" Harry frowned, such a question from a boy he just met? Sure he had answered a similar question when Ginny asked, but she had been much more polite, and sincere. He heard the... near disdain coming from the boy who was probably at least his age.

 

"I don't believe that is any of your business, Mr. Malfoy; please refrain from being rude, won't you?" He then turned and started a conversation with his attendant, showing very much with his body language and action that he was done with the young Malfoy. The scion of the Malfoy name huffed and pouted, mumbling about things his father would hear about, and soon he was off. Harry shook his head and after paying for his purchases went on his merry way.

 

His next stop, was his second to last one, he needed to get his wand. He came up to Ollivander’s and thought for a moment. He really didn't need a wand... but it was a requirement for schooling. He shrugged to himself; he just wouldn't use it often that was all. He entered the shop and felt a presence off to the side, in one of the darker spots of the dim shop.

 

"Mr. Ollivander, I presume?" He blinked for a moment, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness where he saw the old man smiling and then he approached.

 

"I was wondering when I would see you, Mr. Potter." He settled his pale, silver eyes on the young boy and then they widened softly. "Ah... but you are different than I expected. Come; come... let us get you a wand, shall we?" They spent close to the next hour picking wands out, and then Ollivander hummed.

  
"I wonder..." He shuffled to the back and then gently blew the dust off of a box he extracted from a tall shelf. He opened the box and looked at Harry. "11 inches, Holly with a Phoenix feather core, nice and supple." He handed it to Harry, handle first and nearly busted with glee when a rush of magic flew through the store. Harry stroked the wand softly and smiled, he knew who this feather belonged to... he felt it when he had reached out to other ancient beings on this planet.

 

"Curious... very curious." Harry raised an eyebrow. "I remember every wand I ever sold, Mr. Potter... every last one. It just so happens that the core of your wand came from a creature that gave another, just one other. That feather resided in the wand wielded by you-know-who himself... and it gave you... that scar." Harry smiled and watched as Ollivander moved his bangs back, shocked to see there was barely any scar at all.

 

"It has faded, Mr. Ollivander, quite a few years ago, along with any lingering darkness that might have been within." Ollivander nodded and due to his surprise did not continue his little speech. Harry paid the seven galleons for his wand and then went on his merry way yet again. His final destination for the day was what he anticipated the most: The magical menagerie. Being what he was now, and what he knew, he had a love for all kinds of animals. Magical animals even more as they had a sentience that made communication that much more entertaining. He entered the loud shop and smiled when all of the animals in sight silenced and looked at him.

 

The shop owner was used to this, so he paid it no mind... that was until he noticed the animals did not immediately go back to their squabbling. He looked up to see a young boy, no doubt Hogwarts bound, looking over the animals with a smile that would light up even the most grumpy of men. He moved from his counter and smiled.

  
"Welcome to the Magical Menagerie, how can I help you, young man?" He spoke with a jovial tone, no need to take the headache potion right now, so that was good.

  
"Oh, I was looking for a few companions... I am going to Hogwarts soon, and while I plan to make friends, there is no harm in making ones before I get there, is there?" He smiled and the man saw and heard wisdom paired with a childlike innocence in the tone of this boy.

 

"No, not at all! Anything in particular? We have a wonderful selection here. Toads and turtles, though rather out of style, are wonderful companions to have. A bit... boring as they spend most of their time sitting, but well, they do live for years." He chuckled. "We have some cats and even the more exotic lizards. They are a little more temperamental, but they are intelligent as most magical creatures." He hummed and walked with Harry as he spoke. "We also have our snakes, not as popular, because of the silly prejudices they enforce at Hogwarts, but they are loyal and can be rather protective. However... our most favored creature to obtain." He led Harry to the back and into a larger room. "Our Owls!"

 

They were in a large Aviary, filled with all manner of owls. They had been hooting and chattering until Harry entered, and then he was the target of their gaze. He smiled and looked at all of them before a loud screech made the proprietor jump.

 

"Oh dear, she seems to be in a right mood." Harry followed the man's gaze to magnificent brilliant snowy owl. He raised an arm and she wriggled softly before spreading her wings and gliding down to land on offered arm. The older male did not notice, but right under her razor sharp talons rested dull, rainbow scales. "My goodness... she has been here for years, never allowing any to come near her." Harry stroked her breast feathers softly, removing those waited years from her.

 

"Hello, lovely... I want to name you Hedwig, would you be alright with that?" To the older gentleman, there was just a hoot and a nod, but to Harry he heard a sweet, almost motherly voice.

 

"Yes, ancient one, I would enjoy that." She tilted her head and he did the same, asking a silent 'yes?' To which she replied. "I have... been here many years, and have just been courted by another, would you have him as well?" He smiled and gave her breast another stroke before nodding. She turned her head and a short bark came from her before an owl, black as the night, came swooping down. It landed on Harry's shoulder and then Hedwig went to his other. They nuzzled each other over his head and Harry chuckled at the act, and the look of the proprietors face.

 

"I'll take Hedwig and..." He looked up at the male owl. "Castiel?" A sharp nod. "Yes, Hedwig and Castiel here... and maybe a snake. I do enjoy listening to them talk." With that he left to look at the snakes, a gob smacked shop owner following after realizing he was alone in the aviary. He returned to the main part of the shop to see the young boy hissing at a magical reticulated python. The snake was curled on his lap as he sat down, both owls preening each other as he did this. The snake then nuzzled the young boys hand as he stroked him. Harry looked up at the man and smiled.

 

"I'll take Terpanjang here as well. I have plenty of food and the like at home, it shouldn't be a problem.” The man could only nod and they went to the counter after the snake, almost 5 meters in length, wrapped itself around the boy's body under his robes (which made him giggle). He paid the man and then left after a farewell. Harry then made his way back to Gringotts and after entering into his private office vanished just as he had appeared. He had new friends to get to know, it was going to be fun.

  
[AN: Here ends the shopping trip, hope it wasn't too long, or too poorly done or anything. Well, on with the rest!]

  
~HS~

  
It was a week before September 1st and Harry was getting antsy. Not that he didn't already know magic, but to be able to be a kid around kids his own age! That was going to be fantastic. Sure, he would have to deal with the whole boy-who-lived nonsense, but he would live. He found himself in Diagon Alley again, soaking in the Wizarding world when he saw a familiar redhead making her way down the alley with an older, kind looking male. It was clear he was her father, especially from the way they chatted so vibrantly and with such emotion. He waved at her and she gasped and started to drag her father over to him. Harry chuckled lightly, sitting at a table outside of Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, eating a Butter Beer special when he spotted them. He gestured for them to sit and was surprised when she came over and hugged him.

 

"Hi Harry! Daddy, this is that boy I told you about. His name is Harry!" Harry smiled and turned to the elder Weasley with a nod and an extended hand.

 

"Ah, the young man who captivated my sweet peach." She blushed and let out a 'daaaaddyyy' as embarrassed little girls tend to do and he chuckled. He shook the offered hand and then gasped as he looked into the eyes of the young man. The same eyes that belonged to an old friend. He whispered softly but Harry, and his daughter heard.

 

"My goodness... no, it can't be... Harry Potter?" Harry let go of the hand with a smile and nodded. Ginny yelped and flushed a deep scarlet before going pale and she started breathing a little quicker. While just barely 10, she had been hearing of 'the-boy-who-lived' since she was 5.

  
"Gracious me... you look just like your father, but your eyes... Merlin you have your mothers eyes." The elder Weasley smiled then mumbled a curse to himself. "Where are my manners! Arthur Weasley, a pleasure to meet you again, Mr. P-" Harry shook his head, glancing around. "Ah... well, pleasure to meet you, Harry." Harry nodded and then ordered two ice creams for his temporary companions.

 

"It seems you have not been missing for 10 years... just out of touch, hmm?" Harry nodded softly then looked at Ginny.

 

"I'm the same Harry you met a month ago, Ginny. You just know my last name, that's all." She blinked and blushed, nodding and then giggled when she got a kiss to the top of her head from her father.

 

"So what brings you to the Alley today, Mr. Weasley?" That broke the ice a little more and the three had a nice afternoon conversation. It had been Ginny's birthday two weeks before, and it was just now that her father could take time to spend with her and spoil her just a little bit. It was not much, the Weasley's were not a rich family, but it was something special. As they were finishing up their conversation an old, weary owl fluttered onto their table. Ginny quick to pick him up and cradle him gently, the note to his leg removed by her father.

 

"Thank you, Errol. Let's see what's this then..." He started to read and in doing so did not notice Harry stroking the bird softly. Ginny was in awe as her childhood fantasy boy literally renewed the owl in her arms. His plumage deepened as it has whitened from age, his eyes almost blind from cataracts cleared and he seemed to strand straighter. He hooted and hopped on the table, and then hopped around the table. He felt years younger and he nipped the ear of his healer with great thanks. When Harry looked back up it was to the astonished gaze of Ginny and Arthur.

 

"He looked a little down... so disappointed he couldn't be more help to his loving family. He won't have that problem anymore, won't you boy?" The owl hooted in an affirmative and then after nips all around took off with an eager enthusiasm he had not had in years. Arthur cleared his throat and smiled, incinerating the note.

 

"Looks like we won't have to buy that owl tonic after all. Doesn't look like Errol needs it." Arthur chuckled and then hummed. "Would you like to come over for dinner, Harry? I am sure my dear Molly would love to thank you for what you did for Errol, and with the money we saved from the tonic, we can get a nice lamb shank for us." He smiled and Harry nodded.

 

"If I wouldn't be imposing, sir?" Arthur scoffed and waved it off, and the three were then off to get said shank and then to the home of the Weasley's: The Burrow.

  
~HS~

  
Floo travel had been... interesting, but it was fun in it's own way. He stepped out of the fireplace and stepped aside just as Arthur came in. Harry smiled at the surprised look on Arthurs face.

  
"Are you sure that was your first time, Harry?" Harry chuckled and nodded.

  
"Yes sir, very fun though. I have to try apparition next, I heard it was interesting as well, if a bit uncomfortable." Harry shrugged and then was descended upon by the red headed twins.

 

"Harry old bean!"

  
"What brings you..."

  
"...to our humble home?" The twins asked, Harry smiling as he still had them marked.

 

"Well Fred, George." He said to each respectively. "Your dad invited me, said your mum would like to thank me for something." As he said that a familiar, yet different, looking owl swept in the window and landed on the Weasley patriarch's shoulder.

 

"Ah, just in time, Errol." There was a small gasp from Molly Weasley as she came in, looking over the owl and smiling.

 

"That tonic did wonders!" She beamed at her husband, giving him a kiss then looking puzzled at the meat wrapped in butcher paper in his hands. "How... that tonic should have been rather expensive, Arthur." She frowned and then he cleared his throat.

  
"Ah, I did not buy the tonic, Molly dearest. This young man here, Harry, gave Errol a much needed restoration." Molly turned on the boy in question and gasped, oh she remembered him. She gave him one of her infamous hugs and was surprised when he returned it with gusto.

 

"Thank you, young man! Oh... we'll just have to make something special!" She turned and then smiled at the meat in her husband’s hand, taking it and nodding before bustling away to get right to cooking. Harry smiled and then was met with the awed gaze of the rest of the Weasley brood, at least those in this house.

 

"Uh, hi again." He smirked softly and then was tugged outside to play with the kids. He was glad he got a head start on making friends, he knew it was going to be a great rest of the summer and a great time at Hogwarts.

 

~HS~

 

The lamb shank was a success, and Harry decided personally that Molly Weasley was up there being one of the most talented cooks he had ever had the privilege to enjoy. He told her as much in so many words, and she waved it off with a smile and a sweet little blush. They spoke of school, and the like, and he was glad that the revelation of Harry being who he was did not go sour or over the top. After dessert Ron perked up and gasped, looking at Harry.

 

"Harry, Mate... could, you... I dunno, maybe do me a small favor, if it’s alright?" Harry tilted his head, smiling and nodding. "Well, you see... my brother Percy gave me a rat, and he's kinda old. Could you... maybe do something like you did with Errol?" Harry hummed in thought, old rat? He had to be at least 2 or three, that wouldn't be a problem.

 

"No problem Ron, though I think it would be best to do it in the den, eh? Not kitchen activities." He nodded and blushed, the Weasley family, plus one, moving to the den to watch this. While it wasn't flashy or anything, it was still interesting to watch the years melt away (at least that's what Ginny had said). Ron returned with his rat, Scabbers, and handed him to Harry. The rat was fat, old, and just seemed lazy. Harry was about to perform his little bit of magic when he blinked and squeezed the rat tightly, causing it to squeal. Before any protest could be made he spoke.

 

"This isn't a rat. It's an animagus..." At his words 'Scabbers' started to go mad and do everything he could to escape the young boy's grip. He squeaked again when Harry squeezed tighter. "Be still!" The rat obeyed and he looked at Arthur. "Mr. Weasley... you may want to get the Aurors, who knows why a man would be disguised as a rat." The older man nodded and went to do just that, Molly moving her children away, all of them looking appalled and two looking distraught.

 

A few minutes later through the floo came three Aurors, and 'Scabbers' started freaking out again, only to stop at another commanding squeeze. The one in the front was an older looking woman, though it could be the stress of the job, followed by two more Aurors. She adjusted her monocle and looked at Harry.

 

"Mr. Potter, I am Amelia Bones, head of the D.M.L.E., I am to understand you have in your hand an unregistered rat animagus?" Harry nodded and then flicked the head of the rat, causing him to go slack before he put him on the floor and stepped away.

  
"At your discretion, madam Bones." He bowed politely, eyes moving from hers to the rat before her wand was out and she was casting the reversal charm. Like a rapidly growing tree the rat grew into a very... rat like man. Short and stumpy, with protruding front teeth and long nails. He twitched softly when another spell hit him and Harry tilted his head in a silent question.

 

"To prevent him from reverting to his rodent form. Shacklebolt, magic restraining cuffs." The large, bald black man did just as he was instructed, and the man was turned to his side to where Arthur gasped.

 

"Peter Pettigrew... but he was... killed by Black." He spoke hushed, but it was heard. There was another collective gasp as he moved and groaned, making his left sleeve raise to show the dark mark in all its horrific glory.

  
"Death eater." Snarled Madam Bones. "Shacklebolt, maximum security cell at the ministry. No contact, prison rations. Go, now!" The large man nodded and took the prisoner into the floo, vanishing with a burst of green flame. "I have to get back, Arthur, we may have an innocent man in Azkaban." He nodded numbly and the Aurors left, leaving the Burrow with a bit of a somber mood.

 

~HS~

 

As it turned out there was an outstanding warrant for any Death Eaters caught that had not been already given a trial or claimed Imperious. The Weasleys, because Harry refused to take credit, were rewarded with ten thousand galleons. Five thousand of which was used to redo the wards and renovate the house for safety and comfort reasons. The rest was put into their Gringotts account to be saved for when they needed it for necessities and the like. While it wasn't an incredible amount, it was a nice little buffer for the family.

 

A bit of the money was spent to get Ron a new wand and an owl of his own to communicate with the family when Errol was otherwise busy. He didn't get brand new robes, but the ones he did get were no longer threadbare and minimally acceptable. Harry visited often in the remaining week and started to become good friends with the Weasley family, and he liked that. He would be meeting them on the platform on the first and he would take the long journey to Hogwarts with his first Wizard friend.

 

~HS~

 

September first rose bright and sunny, though it had a nice chill that foretold of the winter to come, but Harry was alright with that. Oh he would have loved to fly off to his new school with Castiel and Hedwig, but he knew he had to take the train. Instead it would be Castiel flying ahead to make sure the Owlry was safe for his mate, and Hedwig riding with Harry. Terpanjang, or Jang as he enjoyed being called, would be with Harry as well, but hidden just in case there was any commotion about the large python.

 

Harry was grateful for the hug he got from the elder Weasley's and Ginny, and joined Ron in a compartment for the long journey. The train had been moving for an hour when the compartment door opened. Harry didn't even bother looking up, and before the person could speak he spoke sharply.

  
"Rude! Knock please." There was a gasp and then a huff before the door closed and then a knock was heard. Harry got up and opened the door to them slightly agitated gaze a brown eyed, bushy brown haired girl already in her Hogwarts uniform. "Yeeess?" He asked with a smile, causing her to glare ever so slightly.

 

"Hello, I was wondering if you've seen a toad around here, a boy named Neville has lost his." Harry hummed and with a flick of his fingers he sent a subtle wave of magic through the train.

 

"Three compartments down, under the right bench as you enter the compartment." He smiled and she huffed.

 

"You could just say you don't know! No need to make anything up." She closed it and he blinked softly before he turned and shrugged to Ron who shrugged right back. Not five minutes later there was a knock and he answered, this time it was a short, plump boy with curled brown hair and a nervous stutter.

  
"Hi, uhm... my name is Neville, and I lost my toad, Trevor, have you seen him?" Again, another subtle pulse of and Harry smiled.

 

"First, hello Neville, I'm Harry, that's Ron." Ron waved, having a one sided conversation with his owl. "Trevor you said?" A slow nod. "Three compartments down, under the right bench as you enter the compartment. It's damp back there, the loo sink is broken and it made the floor squishy. I'm sure you'll find him nice and cozy in there." Neville smiled, thanked Harry, and went off. Ron shrugged and they went back to doing their own thing.

 

About an hour later, after one last visit from Neville saying thanks, the compartment door flew open again.

 

"Oh come on! Is knocking so hard?" He looked at the culprit and huffed as it was the same blonde boy from Madame Malkin's. "Oh, it's you, Draco Rude-boy." He glowered and Ron held in a snicker, going back to reading his book on Transfiguration. He had made an improvement in his studies, wanting his parents to be proud of him for doing hard work.

 

"It seems that you are the rude one, you didn't even give me your name, boy." He smirked softly and Harry shrugged.

 

"Well, you were too busy being rude and asking questions you didn't need to know the answer to. Please leave, you're being rude again." Draco huffed and sniffed as if something smelled.

 

"Well, with a blood traitor and a mudblood, this place is starting to smell anyway. Come on Crabbe, Goyle." With that he and his two bookends left, leaving Ron and Harry alone again, to snicker and go about their business. No other interruptions, save for the trolley lady, were made during the trip. They exited the train and made their way with the other first years to the castle. They took the traditional boat ride up and were then gasping in awe and fear when the ghosts came by. Harry smiled lightly, it was always nice to talk to ghosts and spirits, and they always had such interesting stories.

 

Soon they were waiting to be sorted, the Sorting hat singing its song and the kids were sorted slowly, one by one. Hermione Granger was sorted into Gryffindor (making Ron groan as he hoped to be in that house), Neville Longbottom was sorted into Hufflepuff much to his delight, and Draco Malfoy was sorted into Slytherin, the hat barely touching his head before it shouted it's decision. As the list progressed Harry readied himself for his name to be called, and he was not disappointed.

 

"Potter, Harry!" The students, and faculty, went silent and waited. Ron smiled and watched Harry walk up to the stool, grinning at the pale face of Draco who just figured out he had been rude to the boy-who-lived. Harry sat down, after a polite bow to Professor McGonagall before putting the hat onto his head.

 

"My word... Mr. Potter, I have been waiting eagerly for you. Allow me to take a gander, would you?" Harry nodded imperceptibly and allowed the ancient artifact rifle through his mind. "My, my... such courage and loyalty, but your intellect is un-surpassed in these halls. Your ambition is magnificent... your assumed identity is one of the richest in the world, and you are yet to even enter your teens. You would fit well in any house... oh yes, simply magnificent. Any preference, Mr. Potter?" The hat asked, honestly stumped.

 

"Well, first off... is your name hat? Or do you have a real name?" The hat chuckled, an odd sound in his head.

 

"Ah, I do Mr. Potter... my name is Fendrel. Given to me by the four founders themselves." Harry nodded and continued.

 

"Well, a pleasure to meet you, Fendrel. As for what house? Perhaps something they are not expecting? What do you say?" The hat chuckled again and nodded.

 

"Yes, I think so. Well then... if you are sure... better be: HUFFLEPUFF!" The crowd present was at a loss for words... until it sunk in, and then the house of Badgers lost their minds. Their cheers were loud and boisterous; they had gotten Harry Potter in their house! He went over to the table and sat right down, bowing and nodding to everyone in greeting.

 

The sorting continued and Ron was sorted into Gryffindor with his family and Hermione as well, a little sad that Harry wasn't in his house, but they had talked about it on the train ride. They would stay friends, the house boundaries would not keep them apart. Dumbledore stood when the sorting was completed and waved his hands, the feast appearing. He bid everyone a good meal and sat back down. The feast was magnificent, and easily in the top five favorites of Harry, and he enjoyed getting to know his new housemates. So enthralled was he that he even tuned out the stares and murmurs from the rest of the school around him.

 

  
~HS~

 

There were mixed reactions up at the staff table. Dumbledore was partially upset; the son of Lily and James was in Hufflepuff? He sighed and shook his head, had the Dursley’s really that bad to him? He seemed happy, but still... he should have been in Gryffindor. He would have to think about this, but first... the delicious Sheppard’s pie.

 

Minerva was disappointed she did not get a new cub out of Harry, but at least he was happy and smiling. He didn't look underfed, or abused (she assumed because the Dursley's really were the worst sort), so there was that. Perhaps she would still enjoy him as a student.

  
Filius smiled softly, he was happy for his friend Pomona, but he had held a secret hope he would have Lily's child in his house. He respected James, but he always saw Harry as Lily's child. It was a bit... cruel to think such a thing, but it was how he thought. He wondered how young Harry would fair in his classes.

  
Pomona was ecstatic. Young Harry was in her house, he was a badger. She would be respectable, though. No doting on him, yet she wouldn't be harsh. Badgers stuck together, and even if he was famous he would be treated no different. She wondered what his hobbies were...

 

Severus was of two minds of the Potter brat's placement. The first being that well... he was the Potter brat; he could be nothing but a pampered, arrogant prince. Yet.. he had been sorted into the house of the left overs. Perhaps he would not be smug and aggravating. He huffed, he would see in class, that would be the true test. The faculty were startled from their thoughts when a sharp, scared scream broke from the Ravenclaw table, the one closest to the Hufflepuff table. Pomona and Filius were quick to make their way over, they had to see what was going on.

 

~HS~

 

Second year Ravenclaw, Cho Chang, had been walking to sit next to her friend Marietta when she heard a soft hissing from the 'Puff table. She turned her head to see the large head of a snake pop out from Harry Potter's collar, and she freaked out before letting out a piercing scream. She scrambled away, whimpering before yelping at the near sudden appearance of her head of house. She mumbled softly, incoherently before a soft calming charm was put on her by the Half-goblin man.

 

"Ms. Chang, what's wrong?" He was concerned, one of his Ravens was distraught and her scream had been rather frightening. She took a few deep breaths before she looked away and spoke.

  
"Snake! Huge... huge snake!" She pointed at Harry who had by this time turned around, frowning.

 

"Oh, damn... well, sorry about that. I should have left Jang in my trunk." He then stroked the head of his python as it peeked out from the sleeve of his robes. Pomona gasping softly and speaking.

 

"Mr. Potter... that pet is not on the list of allowed creatures." She frowned, was he a rule breaker already? He tilted his head, as if confused and spoke softly.

 

"But it's allowed in the charter, Prof. Sprout. Under the list of allowed creatures, snakes, as long as they are not venomous are allowed. Jang here wouldn't hurt a fly, aside from his dinner. He prefers freshly baked meat of most any kind, I am sure it makes him feel warm and tingly." He smiled, a disarming smile and Filius hummed for a moment.

 

"Yes... yes I remember that in the charter. Mr. Potter is correct, Pomona. I do believe that is a reticulated python, Mr. Potter?" A soft nod, making the small professor smile. "Yes, they are rather docile, especially the magical ones... interesting choice of pet, Mr. Potter... interesting indeed." Harry smiled, stroking the head of his snake before the murmurs and whispered started again. Not even the end of the first day and Harry was getting so much attention, he wondered if it would be like this all year.

 

~HS~

 

Harry had to admit, while not his bed at home, the beds here at school were pretty comfy. It only took him 15 minutes to get comfy enough to fall asleep, but he was sure it would be shorter and shorter as he got used to it. Jang curled up beside him, enjoying just how warm he was, and Hedwig and Castiel made sure they had their own private spot in the Owlry. Morning came, as it tends to do, and Harry was first of his fellow 'Puffs to wake and clean up. He was also one of the first students to get to the great hall and start to enjoy the morning meal.

  
Harry was reading a book when his schedule was given to him, he thanked his head of house and went back to reading. He twitched softly when he heard an interesting question from across the hall.

  
"How can you be nearly headless?" He turned to see Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, or nearly headless Nick, show just how he could be nearly headless. Harry frowned softly, that was unfortunate for the man. He got up, excusing himself first and went over to the rather perturbed ghost.

 

"Sir Nicholas?" The ghost turned his ethereal body head still upside down before he found himself gasping as the last little stitch of his ghostly flesh was cut away with a flick of Harry's finger, leaving his head to float un-attached. He waved jovially and then plopped himself next to his friend, Ron, speaking to the table.

 

"Heya, I'm Harry!" He snickered at the gob smacked expressions before Ron shook his head and started to talk with him. He had been a little unnerved by Jang when he first met him, but he was better about it now. Classes started today, so it was going to be extra fun, Harry felt it in his bones!

 

  
~HS~

 

Herbology had been fun, DADA had been boring, History even more so, and Transfiguration was just a little... stiff. Sure, it was dangerous, but make it fun! It was magic after all. Charms was fun, Prof. Flitwick was all about making charms exciting. What Harry was looking forward to was potions. Sure, he had heard horror stories about Prof. Snape, but potions were interesting to him. He REALLY wanted to experience Care of Magical Creatures, but that was a third year elective, he had to wait.

  
He entered when Prof. Snape ordered everyone too, and sat down in his designated spot, sitting next to Ron as most of his classes were Hufflepuff/Gryffindor. Prof. Snape gave a riveting, yet rather over indulgent speech about potions before he rounded on Harry with a sneer on his face.

 

“Potter!” said Snape. “What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?” Harry raised an eyebrow at this question, was this Professor serious?

 

"Sir, while I do know the answer... I must ask why you are asking me said question, as it is from the third year syllabus..." Prof. Snape sneered and huffed.

 

"Answer the question, Potter! That's all you need to do." Harry shrugged and decided to play along.

 

"A sleeping draught so powerful it is called the draught of living death. They are the two more... prominent ingredients." He looked at his professor, not even a flinch at the sneer.

 

"Lucky guess, Potter. Tell me, where would I find a bezoar?" Harry was not so bothered by this question; it was common knowledge for most prominent brewers.

 

"In the stomach of a goat, sir, and it will cure you of most poisons." He nodded softly and Snape sneered yet again.

 

"It seems you have inherited your fathers luck. So tell me, Potter, what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?" He glared and Harry did not hold back a huff of agitation.

 

"Are you serious, sir? That is unfair for anyone not truly prepared! It is easily a 5th year question, and I am only a day into classes! I have of course read up on certain things, but that is ridiculous. If you are so inclined to know, they are the same plant. They are both poisonous if ingested improperly, though a Bezoar would cure the affliction." He was holding the glare of the Professor with a glare of his own.

 

"25 points from Hufflepuff, Potter! For your cheek and disrespect!" He sneered and turned to the board, wand flicked to show the instructions. "You have one hour." He then sat down, glaring at everyone. After five minutes of doing nothing else Harry huffed and stood up, putting his things away. "Potter! Where are you going? That will be another 25 points for obstructing my class!" He then surprised the room, and even the Professor, by giving the two fingered salute and leaving the class.

 

Harry faded from view and appeared in front of the office of head of house. He knew she was done with classes for the day, and she was surprised when there was a knock on the door. She opened it up and blinked.

 

"Should you not be in class, Mr. Potter? Potions I believe?" He scoffed and she let him in to her office.

 

"Oh, it's a class alright, but not potions. It's a class on how to not be a teacher and an overgrown bully." He went on to explain everything that went on in the class, and with every passing word Pomona Sprout got angrier, and angrier. She didn't know Snape was like this, her badgers never made a peep! She hissed dangerously, she might be a little short and kind of hefty, but she was not to be taken lightly. She extracted the memory from Harry and sent him off to the common room and rescinded the deducted points (she had seniority after all) and went to talk with some of her older 'Puffs, she needed to sort this out.

 

~HS~

 

Snape had just dismissed his last class of the day when the door burst open and he was looking at the angry face of one Pomona Sprout, her wand hand twitching as if deciding whether or not to draw when she spoke. He shuddered at the vitriol in her voice, even worse that it was near silent in her rage.

  
"Severus Snape, you are to accompany me to the headmasters office." He raised an eyebrow and then flinched at her outburst. "NOW!" She turned on her heel and left, the door slamming shut, nearly splintering. He blinked and growled, who was she to be ordering him around? He huffed softly, he was not a student anymore. He went back to cleaning up his classroom before the door slammed open again and he felt himself being tugged by the scruff of his robes down the hall. Not by magic, but by the hands of the enraged head of Hufflepuff. He reached for his wand but found himself disarmed. He tried to move from her grip, but it was nearly impossible. She had weight and strength on him. He worked with potions, she worked with deadly, dangerous and strong plants.

 

"Marshmallows." Severus learned that yes, a sweet could be said with venom lacing the words. He found himself dragged up the stairs and then he was tossed from behind her where he slid and hit the old desk of the headmaster with a 'oof!'

 

"You'll get your wand back when I decide you have stopped being a petulant child!" She crossed her arms, eyes glaring at him before she looked up. "We're all here, Headmaster, let’s get started." Only Dumbledore and Snape felt the tone of voice, as it was aimed at them. Snape got up with a soft grumble and saw that all eyes, even Dumbledore's were on him. Dumbledore looked... disappointed in him.

 

"Severus... I have trusted you to be a professor. I merely thought your methods were strict, but instead I find they were downright harsh?" He sighed and shook his head. "Starting tomorrow, I shall be monitoring your classes, and I shall be evaluating your methods. You will not know when I will be there, but it could be at any time. If you do not meet my expectations... I may have to replace you. Your ability to take points has been suspended, as has your ability to give detentions. Unless it is a completely severe matter." Snape looked ready to erupt, but a stern glare from the headmaster sent him on his way. He grumbled and yelped when his wand was nearly slammed into his chest from the still enraged head badger. So he was mean to the snot nosed brats... they had to learn the world wasn't all peaches and buttercups.

 

~HS~

 

Once again, time passed, as it does, and it was Halloween sooner rather than later. Harry long ago realized there was no reason to sulk on this day, sure his parents had died ten years ago this day, but he went on with his life. He also knew several rituals to talk with them, and he often did on the solstice days where magic was its strongest. Charms class had just let out, and the rather studious Ms. Granger had had a small row with Ron as he had been speaking the incantation improperly. As they were leaving Ron, still rather put out, huffed and said with no small amount of venom:

 

"Bossy know-it-all... no wonder she doesn't have any friends." He stumbled softly as said know-it-all rushed past him and Harry, cheeks covered with tears.

 

"I do believe she heard you, Ronald." Harry spoke with a rather irate tone, causing Ron to shrink on himself lightly, chastised properly. "Get to the feast, I’ll find her." Ron nodded and went off, already thinking of an apology, he was taught better than that. Harry went after her, but she was not a slow young lady, and the magic of the castle was chaotic so he did not want to fade and end up in a moving wall. He spent the next hour looking for her when he got a sense of where she might be. He opened up his senses, mainly his sense of hearing, and heard sniffling and gentle sobs coming from the girl’s loo.

 

He closed his senses to their normal and then for a moment was glad he did as he heard an ear piercing scream from that same direction. He turned the corner to see a lumbering mountain troll clamor its way into the girls loo. He growled softly and sped off in that direction, and heard another scream followed by a bellow and a crash of something hitting the wood of the stalls and the porcelain of the fixtures. He picked up the doorknob and then chucked it at the head of the lumbering giant, getting a groan of pain as he used a good amount of strength to get past the thick hide.

 

"Over here pea brain!" The troll slowly lumbered around and looked at the new morsel, growling softly and then letting out another bellow of anger. "Get out of here, Hermione!" He glanced to see her frozen in fear and he sighed and put up a hand just as the troll's club came crashing down on him. Hermione let out a scream as she was sure she was about to see a fellow student turned to mush... but he caught it. He caught it and he was snarling in anger.

 

"You trolls really are too stupid... aren't you?" He tugged the club from the beast and then turned it in his hand to hold it by the handle. "I'll just give you a little nudge in the right direction." He then swung like a baseball player into the gut of the creature, making him double over before he got another shot to the head. An almost sickening crack had the troll slump to the floor, not even finishing its original scream of pain from the gut shot. Harry dropped the club and looked at the frightened girl.

 

"Are you alright?" She blinked and nodded before fainting on the spot. Harry shook his head and went to her, checking her over for any injuries before picking her up effortlessly. He turned to see the heads of house and the headmaster standing there. "Good evening professors." He nodded to them and then went over to McGonagall. "Your wayward cub, professor." She nodded curtly and leaned down softly to take the girl into her arms.

 

"Care to explain what happened here, Mr. Potter?" Harry turned to the headmaster and nodded, explaining everything as it transpired. Snape, though he had gotten better over the past month and some change, still felt this story was a bit too much.

  
"Are you trying to tell us, Mr. Potter, that you picked up a club that is easily 150 kilos and beat this troll with it?" Harry nodded and he scoffed, then his mouth was left gaping as Harry did just that. Picking it up with one hand and then grasping it with the other and snapping it like a twig before tossing it to the side.

 

"There is one thing I am not a fan of, professor, and that is lying to my elders." Harry blinked softly when he smelled blood and then came over to the bleeding potions master. His hands shot forward, bathed in an greenish blue light, and the light transferred to the leg of the potions master. Snape inhaled sharply then exhaled when he felt his wounds close almost immediately after, the light fading.

 

"Should be fine to walk on. Is that all, professors?" Pomona, a smile on her face, nodded and took her badger away with her, the other professors vaguely hearing '30 points to Hufflepuff, Mr. Potter... for remaining true to your classmates.' The rest of the professors were left gob smacked... who, or what was Harry Potter?

 

~HS~

 

Harry sat in his backyard, humming gently and idly stroking one of the heads of the large Cerberus he had rescued from Hogwarts. It was the winter break and he was enjoying the snow fall with the large creature. He had found her in the third floor corridor that was forbidden, and she had been rather thin. Not that she was mistreated and malnourished, but she was a tad underfed. He had started bringing her larger meals for her to really enjoy herself, and when the holiday's came around he faded with her to his home.

 

He had also found something interesting under the trap door she had been guarding, and decided to take a gander. The devils' snare was a bit fun to play with before he decided to keep up with whatever was further down there. Then there was a flock of winged keys flying up and down two hallways. Instead of looking for the key Harry just phased past the door, feeling no altering magic before he kept walking. The room lit up and Harry saw it was a giant chess set. He stroked his chin and then just phased through the opposite door, and was face to... knee with another troll. He looked up at the troll, grabbed it's club and did a repeat of the first one. He shook his head and the next room he saw had a series of potions in the center. He tilted his head and went he stepped further into the room was partially surprised by the walls of fire both in front and behind him. He shrugged and just... walked through to the next room. He was in the final chamber it seemed, and laying on the floor was a blood red stone. He picked it up and brought it closer. It was a philosopher's stone... very few humans knew how to make one of these. He chuckled and then pocketed it, going back to spend some time with the Cerberus.

 

He hummed as he stroked her head lightly, looking at the stone in his hand as snow fell on it as he came out of his thoughts. He sent it back to his little treasury and went about enjoying the rest of his vacation, putting it far from his mind.

 

Christmas was always a fun event for him, especially as he gave all of his diligent employed a nice bonus and the day before, itself, and after off. He sent his friends gifts as well, noting lavish but enough to show what they meant to him. He even sent the professors something, after doing a little mental digging for their desires as gifts. He was not going to do that frequently, but it was just for gift giving reasons. One of his favorite gifts he gave had been for Dumbledore: Socks. He got the man a milk crate's load of socks. All different kinds of socks from all different countries and backgrounds. He also got him a small sampler of international sweets, the man had a sweet tooth he was about 80 years too old for.

 

His favorite gift to give was one for a fellow 'Puff. He had, in the dead of night, visited the young boy’s parents. Their minds had been shattered by a death eater when his parents were being murdered, but they were not completely lost. Using some of the more lost arts of healing he slowly but surely restored their minds. It would be a welcome gift for the Longbottom family, he was sure of it.

 

He received an interesting gift in the mail, and though it was not signed he felt the little bit of magic in the script. It was from Dumbledore, and it was an ancient invisibility cloak. Made not from Demiguise fur, but the cloak of one of the few incarnations of death itself. He caressed the cloak softly and sighed, he could feel the magic of death itself woven into the fabric, but it was not malignant. It was meant to cloak completely, against all forms of detection. He smiled and put it on, and was surprised when it melded with his very being. He chuckled lightly, it seemed that his magic combined with death's, he would need only to think and he would vanish from sight. He knew spells that could do that, but this was an entirely different ability all together. He spent the next two hours after receiving it playing a fun game of hide and seek with his new overgrown puppy. The holidays were a wonderful time to enjoy.

 

~HS~

 

Harry was happy to come back to Hogwarts, he loved time out of it, but he had all his friends here. He was sitting in the Hufflepuff common room when his attention was captured by his head of house coming towards him. He smiled and spoke before she could.

 

"I hope you liked your gift, Professor." Her face had been stern, but warm, and now there was a large smile. He had gotten her an entling. Said creature/plant would grow and help her tend to her greenhouses, not to mention be able to assist with the forest as well.

  
"Oh yes, Oakeyes is doing wonderful. The headmaster would like to see you, he said it was rather important. If you are not too busy?" He shook his head, getting up and following her to the headmasters office. She spoke the password (jellybeans) and they went up into the office. They entered and standing there waiting were the other heads of house. Harry raised an eyebrow but sat in the offered chair.

 

"I hope your holidays were wonderful, professors." He got small smiles from everyone, except Snape and Dumbledore. Snape because.. he man didn't smile, and Dumbledore's was not a small smile.

  
"Socks, my boy! Socks! Nobody ever gets me socks." He chuckled like the grandfatherly man he was and showed off the purple and yellow striped socks he was wearing. McGonagall cleared her throat and he coughed. "Ah, yes. That, however, is not why you are here today. You see, we have a dilemma, and we are wondering if you could shed some lite on it for us." Harry nodded; he did love to help where he could. Dumbledore proceeded to speak.

 

"I am sure you recall about the danger in the third floor corridor?" Harry nodded. "Well, it seems that one of our... protections in that corridor for the danger has vanished. We searched high and low, but we could not find our... protection. It is, or was, a Cerberus. We asked most, if not all of the older years, and then Pomona suggested she ask her exceptional first year Hufflepuff. So... here you are." Harry nodded softly and he smiled.

 

"You mean Sarisa? Yeah... she's back home. I took her from the school, she was so sad." He frowned softly. "She was kind of sick too, and small. Not being fed properly... but I fixed that." He smiled again, looking at the incredulous looks of the adults in front of him. "I have one of my employee's taking care of her, she is a big softy." Dumbledore blinked then let out a soft chuckle.

 

"I... see, and may we speak to this employee?" He wasn't being condescending, but he was a bit unbelieving. Harry nodded and cleared his throat softly.

  
"Gabriel, can you come here for a moment?" In a flash of white and a puff of brilliant feathers a man appeared. He was about 5'8", with short well groomed light brown hair that rested just above his collar. He was wearing a button up, short sleeved shirt with pressed black slacks. His shoes were immaculate and his eyes were golden, and McGonagall felt as if she was admiring the sunlight through a bottle of fine Irish whiskey. What really stood out about him were the beautiful, brilliantly white wings that were on his back. He spoke, and to everyone in the room it was like a chorus of angels had decided to lend their voice to him.

 

"What's up, Harry?" He smiled at the young boy, ruffling his hair softly. Harry smiled and set his hair back before looking at the rest of the adults in the room.

 

"My professors and headmaster would like to talk to you about Sarisa." The man turned and smiled, and the room felt lighter, as if Fawkes had let out a song.

 

"Ah, her. Well, she's doing great! I just left her actually, little gal was all tuckered out. Played for hours, she does love visiting the dog park disguised, very fun." He snickered and Harry joined in. "She is safe, and I assure you no harm will come to her while under my watch. Although... I can't say the same for anything or anyone messing with her." He smirked and only Flitwick noticed the feral bite behind those eyes. "Now if you will excuse me, I have some people I need to see in Africa... a bit of a bother with some elephants you see." With that he bowed and vanished just as he arrived.

 

"Anything else, Professors?" Dumbledore, using the years of focus and control he had, recovered first and nodded.

 

"Yes... there was a rather valuable artifact at the end of the... protections." He held up a hand at the sharp 'Albus!' from Prof. McGonagall. "I was wondering if you knew about that as well." He looked at Harry over his half-moon-spectacles.

 

"This?" Harry asked, and in the next instant the Philosopher's stone was in his hand, making his head of house, and the rest, gasp. "Yeah... I figured, if it was so dangerous, it should be out of the school. I have it in my personal vault. Do you want it back?" He smiled lightly, resting it on his lap as he leaned back.

 

"Yes... Yes my boy. It must be protected." Harry frowned and then perked up.

  
"Protected? Yeah! I can do that! Wu-Fei!" In a puff of indigo smoke another man appeared, and he immediately kneeled.

 

"My lord Potter." Harry actually blushed and made the man stand, and then the adults were surprised again as he was... not exactly a man. He looked as if you mixed a man and wolf perfectly, not a were, but not a man.

 

"I told you to stop that, Triller! It's just Harry!" He huffed and then gave the wolf-man the red stone. "Take that to the vault." He stressed the word 'vault' making the man stiffen. "Security level Lunas, got it?" The man nodded and when he was about to vanish he leaned down and said something in Harry's ear. Harry frowned and nodded. "Thank you, Triller, I will look into it. That is all." The man left just as he came and Harry smiled.

 

"There! All safe. No-one knows where the vault is but me and two others, and you just saw one of the other two." He chuckled softly at the looks on the faces around the room and then hummed. "Also, headmaster?" The man nodded slowly. "There is a phylactery in this school, Triller wanted to let you know." Dumbledore frowned and tilted his head.

 

"That word escapes me, my boy... phylactery?" Harry nodded and sat up.

 

"They are called soul jars by the Egyptians, or Horcrux's by this country." Dumbledore paled, how could this child know of such evil! No... Not Harry. He took on a stoic form and spoke.

 

"And how do you know of these items, Mr. Potter." Harry froze, so far Harry's name had been used in the friendly, familiar tone.

 

"I learned about it when I was seven, headmaster..." With that he went on to describe the first years of his life, after conjuring chairs for everyone. He was not shy and felt no reason to keep his secrets close, it wasn't like they could talk about it to anyone without his permission, a little magic he pushed into his words as he spoke. What had initially been a question and answer session with the headmaster turned into a long tale that ended very near to midnight for those in the office. Dumbledore leaned back, gently stroking his beard as he contemplated all he had learned. Surprisingly it was Snape that spoke first.

 

"So, you are telling us, Potter." He paused for a moment. "That you have the magic, knowledge, and power of a dragon that was at the very least ancient in age... yet you decide to attend school with children who could not hold a candle to your own person, let alone us adults?" Harry nodded with a smile and the man sneered. "Why?" Harry blinked and then smiled again.

 

"Because I wanted friends, Professor Snape." The dour man's sneer dropped as his mouth gaped. "I may have the knowledge of thousands of years, with the power and magic to back it up, but what is all of that without friends and family? I plan on living my life to its fullest, and that includes making friends, connections, learning until I can't take another letter." He chuckled and blushed. "Of course... I will eventually have a family, but you must remember, sir... I am 11. I can access countless things in my mind instantly, but I am still just... a boy." He shrugged and then yawned, apologizing and then he was being hauled to his feet by his head of house.

 

"My goodness it is almost midnight! You have classes in the morning, Mr. Potter!" He shrugged sheepishly and she huffed before turning to the headmaster. "We shall have to continue this another day, perhaps the weekend, Albus." The headmaster nodded.

 

"Yes, yes of course. Perhaps Saturday, my boy?" He smiled and Harry returned the smile. Right before their eyes both Prof. Sprout and Harry faded from view to their tower, leaving the other occupants in the room to say their good nights and head on their way. This whole evening was just... craziness, and they had magic for Merlin's sake! It would take getting used to to know that an 11 year old boy had so much at his fingertips.

 

~HS~

 

The meeting on that Saturday was much more subdued, though Harry kept up the secrecy spells to make sure that everyone kept the information to themselves. He was not ashamed of his abilities, but he did not want everyone and thier mother coming to bother him or ask him to do things. He was generous to those who he felt earned and deserved it. It was the day after the finals for the year when he was asked to stay behind in a final class of DADA. He smiled at the professor when he took a seat, asking with his normal cheery voice.

 

"What can I do for you, Professor Quirrel?" Said man was pacing, he had not been successful and his master was getting restless! There was only so much unicorn blood he could drink. He turned to the Potter brat, he was the key, and he knew it!

 

"It seems, Mr. Potter... that you could help me with a problem I have been having." Harry was caught off guard by the lack of a stutter, but hummed and nodded.

 

"I will help if I can, sir." He did enjoy helping people... even people who had dark, lecherous parasites on the back of their heads. Harry knew there was something there, but as it had not been causing the professor pain, why bother?

 

"You see, I have to get something... something to help me extend my life." Harry frowned and sat straighter. "My body is dying... I am afraid I do not have much longer." He winced when a hiss broke out from the back of his head.

 

"Let me speak to the boy..." The hissing turned into a voice, it was sinister.

  
"M-Master... please, l-let me-" He was caught off with another wince of pain.

 

"Now, Quirinus!" The defense professor nodded and undid his turban, turning and showing the child a second face, the voice clearer now, a voice he remembered from his dreams.

 

"Harry Potter... it is because of you I am reduced to this. Mere shadow and vapor, a pale comparison to my normal self. Unicorn blood has-" He was cut off by a low, dangerous growl from the boy.

 

"You would harm a Unicorn? There are some things you should not toy with, Voldemort." He snarled and then moved, quick as lightning, to face Quirrel. "I had thought it was not harming you, it seems I was mistaken. Tell me, do you want to be rid of him?" Quirrel didn't dare say such a thing, but his eyes told Harry all he needed to know. Harry nodded and placed a hand on the robed chest of the man in front of him, words coming from his lips in a multitude of languages that Voldemort barely understood.

 

"What are you doing, child! Quirinus! Stop him!" He let out an inhuman scream as he felt his spirit being torn from the body of his follower, yet none of the life-force of his follower joined him. He watched as Quirrel dropped to his knees, sobbing in relief before the castle grabbed hold of his essence and fired it out of the wards.

 

Quirinus Quirrel sobbed as he felt his body and mind return to his control again. He had been taken over while he slept after a run in with a few vampires, it was why he had been so susceptible to the spirit of Voldemort. He shuddered and then his eyes rolled in the back of his head as he was put to sleep by his savior. Harry took him to the infirmary to be healed, telling Madam Pomfrey of just what happened, then he went to go spend time with his friends. Later he would tell the tale again to the heads of house, and the day after he would be on his way home. He did hope the summer would be all kinds of fun.

 

[AN: I could end it here, but my muse has a gun to my head... so, huzzah writing!]

 

~HS~

 

The first part of Harry's summer was spent in solitude, to calm his mind and to better assimilate everything he had learned over the year into his head. He was not pleased with how long it took the Wizengamot to drag their feet for a trail for his godfather, but he was pleased to know that Sirius Black had been taken out of Azkaban and was recovering in a secure room at St. Mungo's from dementor exposure.

 

Harry was watching his beloved Hedwig return from a flight, letter in hand from his friend Ron when she vanished with an indignant sound. He glared softly and then saw her re-appear... without the letter. She landed on his outstretched hand and he stroked her breast feather softly, soothing her before speaking.

  
"Tell me, lovely, what happened?" His friend spoke to him, agitation in her voice.

 

"I vanished, hatchling, and before I appeared again a house elf took my letter... proclaiming it was for your safety!" She huffed in his head and he looked into her eyes.

 

"Show me, lovely." She bobbed her head and he connected his mind with hers, getting a glimpse of the elf in question and where he was situated. He frowned and slipped from her mind. "Thank you, lovely. Go to your mate, I will deal with this elf." Hedwig nipped his ear before going to find her mate, to relax in his presence.

 

Harry took in a deep breath and then faded right to where the elf was sitting. He was surprised the elf was on the top of his roof, on the perfect spot to spot owls and the like. He barely let out a squeak when he was grabbed from behind, finding himself unable to pop away as elves tend to do when they need to. He then found himself, and whoever grabbed him, in a very cozy looking living room/den. He was sitting on a chair, unable to use his magic to escape, and too scared to try anything else. He squeaked when he looked up to see the rather upset eyes of the very boy he was trying to protect. He then gasped when Harry Potter spoke to him... in the ancient elven tongue.

 

"Who are you, and why did you steal this from me?" He held up the letter he was sure he had put away. The elf whimpered, but he felt compelled to talk, and as he spoke in elven his speech was not broken as it was when he spoke English.

 

"My name is Dobby, Harry Potter. I did not mean to steal it; you would get it back... later of course. I did it to keep you safe! Harry Potter, you must not return to Hogwarts." He wriggled and tried to move from the chair, but he could not.

  
"Why not, Dobby?" Once again, the elf felt compelled to talk.

  
"There is a plot... a plan to..." He twitched and fidgeted, his bond not letting him speak more, which made Harry frown. He put a hand on the elf's head, stroking softly.

 

"Shh... shh. It is alright." He smiled softly when the elf calmed. "Do not worry; I can take care of myself, alright? Go back to your master, trust me, hmm?" The elf nodded, now that he was in proximity of the boy-who-lived he could feel the power rolling off of him. The magic older than the elves themselves, but he still worried. He would do as he was asked though. After another nod the magic keeping him in the room vanished and he popped away with a soft squeak of apology. Harry shook his head softly, wondering who the elf belonged to. He could have looked for it in the elf's mind, but that would have been rude. He shrugged softly, he would figure something out.

 

~HS~

 

Harry spent the second half of his summer with the Weasley's, and he couldn't remember a more entertaining summer. They were a fun bunch, and there was plenty of love and affection to go around, even for him. Ginerva received her Hogwarts letter that summer, and it was met with a very large amount of jubilation. They didn't expect her not to get one, but still it was always something to celebrate. They all had a wonderful meal and promised the next day to go to Diagon Alley to get her supplies as well as the supplies for her brothers for their next years.

  
Harry was looking around Flourish and Blots, but that was proving difficult as it was crowded. It seemed that on that day a man named Gilderoy Lockhart was having his book signing. If one were to look in the dictionary and look up the word 'Fop', this man would have his picture there. His robes were garish, he had product in his hair that the most serious model would not dream about using, and his teeth literally twinkled. He was making some kind of overdone speech that Harry was not paying attention to when he caught sight of the-boy-who-lived.

 

"Bless my soul... Harry Potter." The bookstore froze collectively and Harry found himself being tugged over to the man.

 

"Hey!" Harry exclaimed, he was not one to be manhandled like this. He was about to protest when he had to blink the dots out of his eyes from the flash of the camera. He snarled and with a wriggle of his fingers the camera turned red hot and the photographer dropped it, breaking open and ruining the film. Harry removed his shoulder from Lockhart’s grip and glared at him. "Rather rude, don't you think, Sir?" He straightened his robes and started walking away before he heard his name called out by the fop.

 

"Mr. Potter! I was merely hoping to gift you with a picture of us together." He had yet another twinkling grin. "And to give you your new course books for the year.. you'll be needing them." He grinned again and placed the books in Harry's arms, everyone written by him.. as he was the new DADA teacher. "Yes, that's right folks. I, Gilderoy Lockhart, will be this year’s Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for your wonderful children." He got a round of applause from everyone and Harry shook his head. He winked and gave Ginny the books; he would not be needing them, but no need to spend almost 100 galleons on books that were worthless anyway. He was walking out with the Weasley's when he heard a voice he was sure he had gotten himself rid of.

 

"Famous Harry Potter can't even go into a bookstore without stirring up the rabble." Came the still young, but no less oily voice of one Draco Malfoy. Harry turned and looked at Draco with disinterest.

 

  
"What can I do for you, Draco?" Draco was about let out a nasty comment no doubt when he stiffened as a cane was placed on his shoulder and an even oilier, and more mature, voice spoke.

 

"Now, now Draco... place nicely." The man, Lucius Malfoy, stepped up next to his son. He extended his hand to the young Potter. "Ah... Mr. Potter, a pleasure to meet you." Harry, never one to be rude, took the hand and shook it. He was surprised when he was tugged forward and the cane moved his bangs to show the very, very thin scar.

  
"And the famous scar... it is legendary you know." He grinned nastily. "As is the wizard who gave it to you." Harry growled, something Lucius had not been expecting, and he was expecting the next act even less. He found himself gasping as his hand was gripped as if by a giant, forcing him to his knees.

  
"Rather rude, Mr. Malfoy... I can see where your son gets it. I would suggest you take that un-gentleman like behavior and leave it at home." He gave a squeeze, causing Lucius to gasp in discomfort. "Lest it come to... bite you in the arse." He let go and Lucius stood, wiping his hand.

  
"Yes, of course... Mr. Potter." He turned and hummed as he saw Ginny Weasley standing next to Harry, as if to defend him. "Aah... And who are your friends? Let me guess: Red Hair..." He reached into Ginny's cauldron and took out a book. "Barely acceptable books, vacant expressions... you must be, the Weasley's." He smirked and put the book back, huffing in an overly arrogant way. He was about to speak again when he felt himself bodily compelled to lean down and look at the face of a very agitated Harry Potter.

 

"You are insulting my friends and their family... and as friends of my house, that is not wise for you to do. I am going to let you go.. and you are going to leave, is that understood, Mr. Malfoy?" He gave a squeeze, Malfoy feeling all of his bones and muscles get uncomfortably tight before he nodded curtly. He was let go and then with a huff turned.

 

"Come, Draco." He started walking away, Draco sniffing in derision as he followed his father. Harry shook his head and then turned to his friends.

 

"So! Who's up for some ice cream!" He grinned and got a collective bunch of smiles from the Weasley's, well mostly. Arthur seemed a bit put out at the display, but he would discuss it with Harry later.

 

~HS~

 

It was the last week of August when Harry noticed a slight change in Ginny. While she was not exactly distant, she felt a little.. off. She would look at him and blush, or leave the room when he entered it with a squeak, and that was different. The rest of August she had been fine, yet it was like she was slowly changing into a different person. He was sitting on the couch in the den one morning when he saw her come downstairs. He watched her sit down and take out a diary and start writing. He thought nothing of it until he saw her stop writing and he felt a pulse of magic come from the Diary and it wrote back. He frowned and then with a flicker of his fingers reached out to touch the diary's magic with his own.

 

His growl made her jump as he realized just what it was. She went to scamper up the stairs and then yelped when the diary flew from her hands to his. He looked at her and she came over with a blush, biting her lip and speaking.

 

"Can I have that back, Harry? It's... It's my new diary." Harry looked it over, humming and seeing a name on the side.

 

"It looks like it belongs to a 'T.M. Riddle', Ginny. Only your middle name has an M in it..." Ginny made to snatch the diary but he pulled it back and gestured to the spot next to him on the couch. She took a seat, fidgeting softly. "Where did you get this, Ginny? It reeks of dark magic." She gasped and he nodded, smiling internally when she skirted away from it.

 

"It was in my cauldron when we came back home from going to Diagon, Harry. I... I started writing in it and it started writing back." Harry frowned and then tugged her closer, keeping the diary out of reach and giving her a soft hug.

 

"Probably started influencing you, how about you let me keep it... and I’ll see just what is up with it, hmm" She nodded against his shoulder and squirmed when he kissed the top of her head ever so gently. "Alright, go back up to bed... it's too early for you to be up." She nodded, blushed when she kissed his cheek and scampered off. Harry shook his head with a smile and then turned to the diary. The quill she had been using came to him and he opened it up.

 

"Hello, my name is Harry Potter, who are you?" The writing sunk in and then writing he was not responsible for appeared.

 

"Hello, Harry Potter, my name is Tom Marvolo Riddle." Harry hummed and felt a compulsion to write more, to open himself up to this Riddle. He wrote back, smiling lightly.

 

"Very impressive magic, Mr. Riddle... However, I am afraid it is not good enough. I will be destroying this Diary now, I do hope you have a good day." Just before he closed the diary he saw a hastily scrawled and large 'WAIT!' but he closed it anyway. He shook his head and then thought for a moment before smiling and speaking softly. "Jambi?" In the next second a small imp appeared in a wash of flame and looked at him. He gave the little demon the book and patted his head. "Take this to your master. Tell him I said a soul resides within and he wants to have fun." The little demon smiled, a smile filled with teeth that would make a goblin jealous before it disappeared. Harry stretched and got up, going to start breakfast for the Weasley family, he did love spoiling tem with his culinary abilities.

 

~HS~

  
Aside from Lockhart, second year was not really that interesting. Even potions class was better overall, especially after the harsh evaluation and ultimatum Snape got from Dumbledore. It was a normal year for Harry, and he was grateful that the Wizengamot finally took their heads out of their arse's and gave Sirius the trial he deserved. He was exonerated for his 'crimes' and given an apology in the form of one hundred thousand galleons per year he was in there. He put most of it into a fund for Aurors and St. Mungo’s; it wasn’t like he needed the gold being the head of the house of Black.

 

Summer leading up to third year was just as fun as the previous, he went to Egypt with the Weasley family and spent it enjoying the tombs and different magical community as well. He also got to meet one Remus Lupin, werewolf friend of his family and best friend of his godfather. Now Harry, being one to enjoy screwing with the so called 'impossible' was quick to cure Remus of his 'furry little problem' as Sirius had taken to calling it. He didn't tell him he did it until the day after the July full moon. He enjoyed remembering that morning.

  
Remus had entered the kitchen at Harry's home, Harry having insisted he take the transformation in his basement, and sat down heavily. He didn't look tired, or ragged, and he was not in any pain. Harry smiling softly and serving him breakfast. Sirius came in shortly after him and smiled.

  
"Doing good, Moony?" Remus blinked and looked at his old friend.

 

"I didn't change last night. Not one inch of fur or pain..." Sirius blinked, he remembered being ready to change with Remus, then he fell asleep. He gasped softly and they both looked at Harry who was smiling innocently.

 

"Harry?" Remus asked hesitantly.

  
"Yes?" He asked, dragging out the word.

 

"Did you... do anything last night?" Harry shook his head and Remus sighed softly.

  
"I did it a week ago. That curse is a nasty thing, no place in this house." He wrinkled his nose and went back to making breakfast, Remus fainting dead away with a shudder, and Sirius bursting into laughter with mirthful and relieved tears coming down his face.

 

Because of this Remus was able to teach with no issue, even Dumbledore was surprised at this, but he was learning that Harry did things that no normal child could... or would. He wasn't exactly a normal child, now that he recalled. It would go un-noticed for a few years, but Remus would stay on as the DADA teacher for the foreseeable future. Removing the curse from him also removed a certain curse in the castle, as there was really no reason for him not to be the teacher at the end of the year.

 

He went to the Quidditch World cup the summer before 4th year, and enjoyed the hell out of it. As it was a large ministry event they spared no expense for it. It went without a hitch, and was a damned grand spectacle to be held, and Harry himself spared no expense to have his friends and family with the best seats in the house. He learned from his various contacts out in the world that the Tri-Wizard tournament would be held at Hogwarts that year, and he wondered just how interesting it would be.

 

[AN: Yes, I am, once again... going to do the tournament. I have some new tasks, though they are kind of similar... maybe. Regardless, this is going to be done Gary Stu style. I repeat, Major Gary Stu going on here. If you've read this far then you already know how heavy I have it. I do not apologize for this; anyway, there you have it. Enjoy, if you can. ]

 

Remus was still the DADA teacher for 4th year, and the student body couldn't be happier as he had been the most successful and practical teacher in years. The first event that had a modicum of interest was when the schools arrived. Durmstrang and Beauxbatons arrived with much flare and dramatics; they had to make a good impression after all. It was the day after that the event occurred, and Harry had a front row seat. He was sitting at the Gryffindor table with his friend Ron, as well as Neville and Hermione, when Ron went a little slack jawed. He was gazing unblinkingly at one of the girls from Beauxbatons as she leaned over.

 

"Are you done with the bouillabaisse?" She asked in heavily accented French, and Harry tilted his head softly.

 

"Veela…" She twitched softly and glared at him, then he blinked and smiled. "I can turn that off for you, if you like." It was her who blinked that time.

  
"And how, would you do that, monsieur Potter?" He smiled and then Hermione chuckled, having learned that Harry was above and beyond anything even magicals considered normal.

  
"Like this, Mademoiselle." With that he reached over and gave her cheek and neck a stroke. She shuddered softly and then gasped when she felt her allure just... shut off. She huffed softly and started to look very teary before she backed off. She looked at Harry with wide, grateful yet nervous eyes. "It's just the allure... try something else." She nodded numbly and then with a flick of her fingers there was a fireball in her hand, and then it was gone. Fleur Delacour, while proud of her Veela heritage, had struggled with her allure since it manifested when she was 11. She laughed a beautiful sound really, and came over to pepper Harry with kisses and hugs. Thanking him profusely in French before she ran over to her Headmistress and started going off a mile a minute in French. The large, half-giantess was surprised and then she looked over at the boy who did this, only to get a smile and a wave. She was about to speak when she heard her seating companion, Hagrid, chuckling.

 

"Ah, that's our Harry. Loves to do the impossible... great kid." She then blinked and watched as Fleur went over to sit at the table across from Harry, engaging him in a wholeheartedly genuinely happy conversation. Who exactly was, Harry Potter?

 

~HS~

 

It was finally time for the announcement of the Tri-Wizard champions, and once again the norm was broken. The tables were set, and everyone was ready, but there was no segregation. Hogwarts, Durmstrang, and Beauxbatons students were all intermingled at the tables. Fleur had been picked for her school as champion, Viktor Krum for his, and Cedric for Hogwarts. The applause was electric, and then... then the goblet chose a fourth.

 

"Harry Potter!" Dumbledore called out, and Harry blinked and looked at the older man.

 

"Yes, Headmaster?" He asked, as he was genuinely confused. The headmaster showed him the paper and Harry frowned just as he felt the magical contract connect with him. It was ancient magic, as was his own, so they connected seamlessly. He frowned and got up, but with a polite smile bypassed the headmaster and put his hands on the goblet.

 

"I see it... the connection. Huh... that's unfortunate." He stroked the goblet and looked over the artifact, eyes glowing in a rainbow as he walked around with his hands on the goblet. "Looks like I’ll have to compete." He frowned and looked at everyone.

 

"I apologize for ruining the tournament with my unfortunate entrance." He raised his hand, wand within his grasp, while another rested on his heart. "I, Harry James Potter, do swear upon the ancient magic’s in my body that I did not enter my name in the goblet of fire, nor did I ask anyone to do it for me. So I speak it, so mote it be." A blinding burst of magic flashed and then he flicked his wand and a shower of warm stars fell from the enchanted ceiling. He took a bow and then followed the headmaster into the ante chamber.

 

Everything was explained, and while they were slightly miffed, the other three champions did not fault Harry. They had gotten to know him, Cedric more than the other two as he was a schoolmate, so they realized he just was a pawn in some greater scheme. Madame Maxime was upset, wanting to rant and rave but her champion stopped that, the same with Karkaroff. The first task would be held on November 24th, and Harry was curious as to what exactly the task would be. It seemed only the judges would know, but Harry was fine with that. He trained with Cedric and Prof. Sprout, but it was mostly helping Cedric with his magic and honing his own.

 

  
November 24th dawned bright and sunny, which was good as they needed the warmth. The first task was to take place in the black lake of all places. While it wasn't as cold as say, February, it was still nippy. Harry silently and discreetly placed heavy warming charms on the other three champions, getting soft nods and smiles of thanks as he did so. He turned to Ludo Bagman, the ministry official in charge of all of this, just as he heard his clear his throat through the amplification charm.

 

"Ladies and gentleman, welcome to the first task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament!" He paused for the applause to settle down. "With our four champions ready, we shall begin!" He turned to the champions. "You stand on your own docks, and before you lies a canal of water. Somewhere within this canal is the clue for the next task. Ready yourselves, for this will be no easy task!" There was more applause and then he raised his wand. "At the sound of the cannon!" He waited a few moments before he fired off a cannon blast charm into the air, signaling the start of the task.

 

The three adult champions watched in surprise, even Cedric, as Harry simply walked off the pier without even an incantation on his person. They saw him descend into the murky depths, and then he vanished from sight.

 

~HS~

 

Harry hummed as he sank lower, and lower due to a little enchantment to make his feet a little heavier than lead. He hummed, taking a deep, water filled breath and then started walking along the canal that was put there for him. He kept his senses open and about and about before he let out a low sigh as something warm washed over him in a soft wave, having hit the undercurrent of the lake. He then blinked and looked around, smiling as he probably passed through a portal. He walked on still, apparently now on dry land before he stopped at a sight.

 

His family, mother and father included, were sitting at the table and they smiled at him. They waved him over and he went to where he was called forward to. He took a seat and smiled.

  
"Mum, dad. A pleasure meeting you here, I didn't know I called you." His father spoke first, a smile on his face.

 

"Oh, we got here first, my son. Just wanted to spend time with our boy." He gave a smile and Harry looked puzzled before turning to his mother and speaking.

 

"Was it your idea then, mum?" He smiled and she nodded, speaking, her voice slightly... off.

  
"Of course, my son. We just wanted to pay you a visit, that's all." Harry nodded and then his hands started to glow slowly before he clapped them together and his parents faded, as well as the rest of the visage before him. Harry was left looking at a startled water spirit, a Rusalka. He tilted his head and tsk'ed softly, but good naturedly as he spoke in soft, chiding tones.

 

"Hmm... should have perhaps asked more about me, water spirit. My parents are no longer of this world, but of yours." The spirit pouted but then floated over to him, handing him the sea-shell necklace she had been wearing. "This is my clue then?" A soft nod and then he took it with a bow.

 

"Thank you, but how about we spend a little having a bit of a chat, huh?" The spirit perked up and then felt a bubble encase them. "That should be better for talking, don't you think?" He heard her giggle and then she nodded, sitting down on a rock they walked over to and starting to talk. He knew of the folklore of the Rusalka, but he was surprised they managed to get one out here. He learned there were three other water spirits as well for the other champions; a Selkie, a kelpie, and a naiad. He was having such a good time enjoying their talk that he almost forgot he was in a task for a tournament.

 

"Goodness! I have to get to the surface, the tournament and all." She gasped and spoke her voice sweet and soothing like a low tide.

 

"Oh, I am sorry, Harry. Do not let me keep you.. but, do not be a stranger, hmm?" He smiled and nodded.

 

"Of course, of course. Have a good day, Alisa." She nodded and he then returned them to the water, shivering slightly at the cold before swimming to the surface. He heard the crowd applause as he got up there; it seemed he was in last place. He held up the sea shell and chuckled softly.

 

"Uhm... sorry I took so long, I was having a wonderful conversation with Alisa." He was met with blank stares from the judges before Dumbledore chuckled.

 

"Only you, my boy, could have a conversation with a water spirit for nearly an hour." Harry shrugged and after a once over from madam Pomfrey, was free to sit down and get his scores. He scored the lowest because he took the longest, even if he claimed that he had been the first to uncover the task, it was alright for him though. He was just doing this out of obligation for the contract. The next day he was informed of the Yule Ball that was to take place, and he had one big problem: Who was he going to take?

 

It wasn't that he didn't have his fair share of friends and other... possible romantic interests, but he would hate to upset any friends or anything. He would have to think about it, sure he had to dance and open the ball in doing so with the other champions, but it wasn't like a date was mandatory. He had almost a month anyway, he would be fine.

 

~HS~

  
The solution to Harry's problem had been a lot simpler than he had figured it would be. It was so easy; he was not surprised he completely over shot it. He would go with Luna Lovegood, the resident Ravenclaw oddball. Now, she had her quirks, and sometimes spoke of creatures that people spoke of not existing, but it made her unique. She had been very agreeable to going with him, especially because she had been eager to go, but she needed a date as she was a 3rd year and the ball was 4th years and up without needing a date.

 

Harry was introduced to her in the beginning of his second year, it turned out she lived in Devon near the Weasley's, about three miles east of the burrow in a home named the rookery from its resemblance to a rook in chess. She lived there with her mother and father, both quirky themselves, but with more to back up their quirkiness than being a growing, experiencing child. He learned that her mother, Selene, had nearly been part of an unfortunate accident a few years back, but her husband returned home just before her runic array decided it wanted to explode violently. She had stepped out of the room to greet her husband and said array exploded, thankfully the walls were made of stone and magic resistant so they were safe from that. While she still worked in spell creation, she did it in a much more controlled and safe environment now.

 

Her dress was a deep purple Victorian style ballroom gown, though it was a little less conservative that the traditional style. It had white and purple frills to accent the deeper color, and her dirty blonde hair was curled perfectly to cascade onto her shoulders and down her back. She was a picture of beauty, and Harry knew he was a lucky man to have her as his date. Harry himself wore a deep blue Victorian era suit to go with her dress, and had deep purple accents to match Luna's dress. He smiled when she came from the direction of Ravenclaw toward, and he took her hands in his own and gave each of her cheeks a kiss.

 

"Look at you, Luna Selene... such a beautiful flower." He stroked her cheek and she blushed softly before giggling and giving him a kiss on the cheek.

 

"You flatter me, Harry James. Now... don't let all of these wrackspurts cloud your brain, we have a ball to help open." He nodded and bowed in apology with a smile on his face before walking with her to where the champions were meeting. Viktor was going with his friend Hermione, as Fleur was going with his friend Ron, and Cedric going with his sweetheart Cho. Ron had been a surprise to Fleur, but it was a welcome one. He asked her not because of her allure, or because he was infatuated with her looks (though he would never deny her beauty), but because he wanted to try and get to know the lovely French woman.

 

They entered by order of the highest scoring champion from the first task, leaving Harry and Luna to go last, but they had no issue with this. They almost missed their timing to enter as Harry was engaged in conversation about the snorkacks that her family was going to search for over the summer, she even offered for Harry to join them. He told her he would think about it, as it did seem fun. They entered and then the champions and their dates bowed to each other before starting the dance for the rest of the school (at least those in attendance).

 

  
Luna was having a ball, pun most assuredly intended, with Harry. He was polite, a gentleman of the highest order, and indulged her conversations both odd and not. She was surprised when he informed her that the snorkack was a small creature about the size of a squirrel, and preferred temperate climates. She was even more surprised when he went into very intimate detail about the creature, claiming to have seen quite a few. He even promised to show her one he took a picture of, and explain to her parents how to find them. That, if not also for the rest of the wonderful experience of the ball, made her night, and probably the rest of her holiday. He was rewarded with a hug, a kiss on the cheek, and a very happy young lady on his arm.

 

They did not snog heavily, like some other friend she knew, but they did enjoy a soft session of cuddling under the stars outside with some heavy warming charms. All in all, it was a successful night for both of them, and that was alright by him.

 

~HS~

 

Harry half expected the delightful minds at the ministry, he used the word delightful loosely, to have another event involving the black lake in February. He was surprised to see that it was not to be, however; instead they created a large structure within the quidditch pitch. They told no-one, but due to the sea-shell clue Harry was able to discern that it was some kind of... maze. It would be an indoor maze, and they would have to rely on their cunning, and they had one hour to complete it in... Or their hostage would be lost forever. Harry figured that was untrue, but one could not take a chance when it came to innocents.

 

The day of the task came and Harry frowned as Luna was missing, it seemed she was his hostage for the task. He sighed softly, but he was sure no harm would come to her, after all he knew Prof. Flitwick would be rather... incensed should anything happen to his Ravens. Harry stood at one entrance to the maze; there were four in total, one for each champion, waiting for the task to begin. He stretched and flexed softly, twisting and humming before directing his attention to Ludo Bagman.

 

"The second task dawns this fine morning, and I must say it will be one to remember! Before you, champions, lies a cave. Within the cave are unknown dangers, horrors, and obstacles you must overcome in order to be victorious. You have an hour to complete this... but be warned, it is not just to compete..." He grinned, as if he was building suspense. "When your entrance opens, you may enter. Mr. Diggory will go first at the sound of the cannon!" He raised his wand and then with a boom Cedric entered.

 

It was about five minutes later when his entrance opened and he stepped in. As soon as he did so, it went pitch black as the door behind him closed. Harry thought for a moment before he grinned and underwent a quick, unexpected transformation. In a few seconds where he previously stood now stood a majestic, if a little shorter than normal, nightmare. His mane and tail were made of an ethereal blue and black flame, and his eyes were the same hue. His hooves were covered in the same flame, and be partially lit the spot he was in. With a loud neigh he started his trek into the cave that had been fabricated for them as a task.

 

The crowd was going wild before he entered, and even more so when he made that transformation when he did enter. The top of the cave was magically transparent so they were not looking at a black slab for an hour, something the professors at Hogwarts insisted. As he was a bit smaller than a normal nightmare, the twists and turns of the cave were not so difficult for him. His ability to see within the complete darkness also helped, and it stopped him from being ambushed by the large acromantula that was just... waiting on one of the ceilings when he turned. It dropped, after seeing it was spotted, and lunged at the horse before it, only to screech as it was kicked forcefully by the front legs of the fire horse. It moved to attack again, it was not a weak creature, only to be kicked again, and then one of its legs was torn off by the powerful jaws of the creature. The crowd was gasping and cheering between watching the four champions take on their own obstacles. From Cedric's perfect piercing hexes and Krum's bone breakers, to Fleur’s pirouettes combined with her lesser blood boilers. This entire event was fantastic for the spectators, and it would be something they wouldn't soon forget.

 

Harry made his way through a few more of the spiders before he stopped completely with a snort and shake of his head. With a shimmer of his body the horse form he had adapted was replaced by a more feline one. Still deep in color, almost invisible to the crowd, with two tentacles protruding from his back and six agile legs. He swished them softly and then started to slink down the next corridor, using his enhanced smell to no doubt track his hostage. Those higher level Care Of Magical Creatures students were quick to inform others just what they were looking at; a Displacer beast. It was a close cousin to the Nundu, but had none of said creatures deadly toxins. Instead it literally displaced the air and light around it, making it near impossible to detect, let alone attack or get the better of.

 

The students soon found out why the fourth champion had done this, as when he turned the corner he was literally leapt onto by a centipede easily twice his size. The many legged creature chittered in agitation when it went through what was clearly (at least now) and illusion of the actual creature and hit the floor rather harshly. It chittered and went for another lunch, only to screech in pain when it's neck was latched on by the actual feline, while its tentacles punctured and ripped apart the insects body. Its cries of pain and eventual death rattle alerted other centipedes and soon the feline that was Harry Potter was fighting on numerous fronts. By the time the insects were dead and twitching Harry was on the move, his wounds healing as he moved gracefully through the maze.

 

Harry moved deeper into the cave, knowing he was getting close when he felt the presence of a creature he didn't think the ministry would have the... balls to bring here. He growled slowly and then, though he didn’t hear it, made the crowd gasp with his next transformation. He took on the form of the creature around the next bend. It was short and covered in spikey fur, probably about the size of a cocker spaniel, but it did not resemble the dog in any form. It had a pair of cat like eyes that shifted and swirled in bright, eerie yellow with a similar color to the lizard like claws on its front feet. Its back legs had bird like talons, and it exuded a natural darkness that made it invisible to those around it, though the magic of the cave allowed the crowd to see it. What made it extra dangerous; however, was the scorpion like tail protruding from its hind quarters, which had three prongs which hooked nastily.

 

The crowd was surprised when Harry took this form, and even more so when he approached the creature with no fear. The creature tensed before relaxing at the sight of a fellow shadow creature. They nuzzled each other in greeting before exchanging some form of communication only for Harry to keep going behind it. These creatures were classified as XXXXX dangerous creatures, and were not only banned in Great Britain, but most of the world. They were nearly impossible to catch and contain, and the only reason they were not all over the world was because of their aversion to certain climates, and large bodies of water. Where they lived, mostly in the deep jungles and rainforests, they were fenced in from most sides by large, man-made rivers and lakes.

 

Harry did not revert to his humanoid form until he saw the hostages. The four of them were sitting on an island separated by a magical moat, surrounded by large, magically enhanced hounds of some kind. No doubt it was the final obstacle, but fortunately when he was spotted Harry was still in his shadow creature form, and the hounds looked at the cloud of darkness warily. Harry decided to use that to his advantage and raced forward, making the hounds scatter from his designated spot with a soft whine. He leaped over the moat, and in mid-air changed into his humanoid form. He landed gracefully and grinned at Luna who was so very happy to see him.

 

"Miss me, my little fairy?" She giggled and gave him a soft peck on the lips before the portkey on her robes activated and they were taken to the winners circle. Before they departed, however, he noticed Cho, Gabrielle Delacour (Fleur's sister), and Anton Krum (Viktor's younger brother) waiting for their champions. Harry was met with thunderous applause, and his victory, and skill put him right up at first place for now. Fleur was next to arrive and then Cedric, followed closely by Krum. That put Harry and Cedric tied for first, with Fleur and Krum tied for second. The third task would be a close event to say the least as the two foreign champions were barely 5 points behind the Hogwarts ones.

 

  
~HS~

 

The months leading up to the third task were normal Hogwarts months for Harry and his friends. While they had new friends in the visitors, it was not something monumentally different than normal save for the new faces and occasional new food at daily meals. They were told that the last task was something completely different from the normal tri-wizard style: A triathlon. Harry found this out and smiled at the thought of it, as he had been in peak physical condition for years. He did enjoy his running, the lake was a popular spot for him as well, and he was not against a little competition in doing it either. He was obligated to compete, but that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy it!

 

The day of the third task dawned bright and sunny, much like the first task, but without the lack of warmth. While it wasn't summer and blistering, it was cool and refreshing a perfect day for the event. They would start with a broom race, something it seemed Fleur was not happy about, and then go into the lake for a swim followed by traversing along the edge of the forest towards the cup that waited for them. Each champion had their own broom, and each broom was inspected heavily by the judges for any extra enhancements. They all came back clean, and the crowd ooh'd at the different selection the champions had. Cedric was going for control and stability with his Nimbus 2000, while Fleur was going with a home favorite the Courant. Krum went for his sponsored broom, the Firebolt, and Harry went with a new Japanese design, because he enjoyed branching out. It was named Doragonteru, or Dragon tail, and was very oriental in its design. It was a vibrant green with gold, Japanese dragon etchings with the bristles a deep red.

 

  
"And now the third and Final task of the Tri-Wizard tournament!" Ludo said and the crowd clapped gently and shortly, not from lack of interest but to get on with the no doubt exciting task. "While more than likely not as exciting as our last task, it will show us just who deserves Eternal Glory as a Tri-Wizard Champion!" Another round of applause went by before Bagman continued. "Tied in first place we have our two Hogwarts champions: Cedric Diggory and Harry Potter!" The crowd this time was a little louder, and their cheers lasted a bit longer. "And tied for second place we have Viktor Krum and Fleur Delacour!" Again, the crowd was louder and longer in their enthusiasm before quieting down.

 

"They will race to the edge of the black lake, and then swim to the edge of the forest within the designated markers. There will be no points at the end of this, as the first person to reach the cup will be crowned victorious. Champions to your marks!" Harry smiled and turned to Cedric, extending his hand.

 

"May the best champion win." Cedric smiled and shook the younger boys hand.

 

"I'll save a spot for you next to the winners table." He teased and Harry chuckled before going to the other two champions and wishing the same. He got similar chides from them and went to his mark next to Cedric.

 

"Ready! Set..." Ludo did not say go, instead he fired off the cannon blast, signaling for the champions to start their race.

 

Cedric and Harry were off like a shot and were quick to try and out maneuver and fly each other. While Harry was made for the air, everyone said he was a natural, Cedric had the experience while on broom. They barely heard the second cannon blast signaling their fellow champions being released to follow. The nimbus and dragon tail were equal in speed and control, but the Dragon tail held onto the wind currents a bit more, the runes on the broom helping to give a little burst of speed because of it. When the wind died down though, it right back to normal speeds. That really didn't matter unless it was between the obstacles they were going through, and there were quite a few of them.

 

The first set of obstacles was a flock of magical ravens aimed at them that they had to out maneuver and out run while staying on their brooms. It was no easy task as the ravens were specifically made to keep up with even the fastest brooms, which included the Courant and Firebolt. It was in this instance that the Nimbus and Dragon tail were the more suited broom, yet between the ravens and the next obstacle the other two champions easily caught up, and started to out-pace the first two.

 

  
Harry was having the time of his life, he loved being in the air and would miss it when they were on to the next event. The next obstacle in the air came in the form of some of their schoolmates on brooms, firing stinging hexes and other agitating spells, though nothing serious. The four of them didn't come out unscathed, but they were not seriously injured. Fleur looked at Harry with a raised brow as he let out whoops of joy at the apparent fun of all of this. They felt themselves being tugged down by an anti-flying field, meaning they were getting close to the next part of the task. Harry, not one to be against a little flair let out a scream of delight and literally leaped off of his broom into the depths below.

 

It was easily a fifty foot drop, but that didn't bother Harry. He disappeared into the water and when he resurfaced he was swimming with a grace and speed that a child of 14 should not have. He made sure to play down his abilities; he wouldn't want to make this unfair. He could have just changed into some manner of aquatic creature, but where was the fun in that? Viktor, being the physically strongest (at least in appearance) of the four champions was quick to catch up with Harry, and he gave him a smug, albeit playful smirk before he pulled ahead.

 

That was when he set off the first obstacle: The giant squid. Its first tentacle was narrowly dodged by the Bulgarian seeker, but his next one was not so easily dodged. It came from below and threw the man into the air. The squid's tentacles were magically cushioned, otherwise Viktor would not exactly be in the best of shape from that hit, it was a huge creature after all. Harry laughed as he was shot into the air by another tentacle, but he grabbed on and started to run along said tentacle towards the body of the squid, watching as Fleur did similar when she was also attacked. She had a fluid grace about her that she exploited to the best of her ability.

 

Cedric was not having such a hot time, and neither was Krum, so they decided to do something about it. They each sent a few bludgeoning hexes to the squid and it stopped from attacking them after letting out a garbled moan of distress. Harry and Fleur managed to get a few meters away from the squid by this time, and watched as Cedric and Viktor did their best to catch up, which was pretty good. They were corralled towards a raised platform and stopped to see in front of them something not seen very often, or at all, in the magical world: An obstacle course.

 

"Oh yeah! See you slowpokes on the other side!" Harry good naturedly joked before he started on the course. The first obstacle being a hanging ladder to make his way across, which he was doing with a nice bit of speed. The drop would be into the water, but waiting in the water was enchanted kelp that would make escape a very large pain in the ass. Harry was not cocky about this, but he grew up in the muggle world and had seen things like this on the tele, so he kind of knew what to expect. Most of it was muggle, with just a little bit of magical thrown in as penalties for failing certain parts. Harry encountered his first penalty as he fell when going down a zip line from the top of a raised, wet slope. Instead of magically returning to the top, he had to swim around and go an obstacle behind and start from there.

 

That little lapse allowed the other three champions to catch up and surpass him, but he didn't take it negatively, he was having a dammed good time. He managed to catch up when the other three pureblood champions were caught staring at the floating tires, unsure of what to do. He gave them all a smirk and a wink and then started to go from tire to tire as he made his way across the grindilow filled section. His feet didn't go in and out of each tire, but instead they bounced on the edges as putting a foot in would make him sink. He glanced back and grinned when he saw that the one behind him now was Fleur as she had a bit more grace than the other two. He gave her a thumbs up and then found himself diving back into the lake for the last several meters to the shore.

 

He got out of the water, Fleur not far behind and started to run along the last part of the course while casting drying charms on himself. He heard a loud buzzer and then found himself ported behind Fleur by a few meters. He laughed and put his wand away, this was strictly a non-magic part, huh? He could do that. He was soon joined by the other champions and gave them thumbs up before whooping and starting to not only pull ahead, but he did so by ways of the tree's. He was using no real magic, but propelling himself forward by grasping on low hanging branches and the trunks of the tree's they were passing.

 

He saw Fleur had stopped and skidded to a stop right next to her, gazing at what she was looking at with awe and surprise. Before them stood Oakeyes, Ent child of Prof. Sprout. He was looking at them with a frown and he spoke slowly, though clearly.

 

"Hmmmm.... I was given instructions to not let you pass, unless you can best me without your wands. Can you?" He was not fully grown, but even at his current size he was at least a meter or so taller than Hagrid. Viktor tried first and went to run around the Ent, only to be bodily picked up and tossed a few meters, tumbling and groaning softly, but with no real heavy injuries. Cedric did the same, but tried to fake what direction he was going, and would have gotten past if Oakeyes did not catch on and grab him just as he did Viktor. Fleur stepped up next and looked up at him and spoke.

 

  
"I cannot be seen, cannot be felt, Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt. I lie behind stars and under hills and empty holes I fill. I come first and follow after, End life, kill laughter. What am I?" The Ent frowned and then seemed to go into a statuesque position, hand on his chin with a low hum emanating from his throat. During his thinking, however, he rebuffed the attempts of Viktor, Cedric, and even Harry who thought he might be a bit distracted. He came out of his thinking with another frown and looked at Fleur.

 

"You have bested me; I do not know that one. You may pass... but what is the answer?" He groaned softly, or was it his oaken body creaking? She smiled and started to move, jogging in place for a moment.

 

"A shadow, Mr. Tree." His eyes widened a bit before he nodded and she was off with a blown kiss to her fellow champions. Harry decided to try next, smiling and walking up to the Ent.

 

"What eats, but is always hungry?" Oakeyes hummed and went back into his thinking position, the last two champions thinking of their own riddles to stump the large creature. The Ent perked up and looked at the youngest champion with a curt nod.

 

"You are free to pass... but first the answer." Harry smiled at this and nodded as he mirrored Fleur’s jogging in place.

 

"A fire!" He grinned at the grimace of the Ent and went off. About three meters away he changed form to that of a jaguar and ran as fast as he could to make up for lost distance between him and Fleur. She heard the rhythmic thumping and fast gaining and looked back to see a forest green predator coming up behind her. She gasped and readied one of her fireballs before it caught up and transformed into a smiling Harry Potter.

 

"Fancy meeting you here, Flower." He winked and she huffed before they doubled their efforts to get to the cup they saw in the distance. Between a few more natural obstacles, the tree's and the like, they were climbing up the raised dais to where the cup waited. Harry lunged to get it, and forgot for a moment that Fleur was taller than him, so they both grabbed it at the same time. They both felt the tell-tale sign of the portkey yanking their navels, and grinned at each other as they were now both Tri-Wizard champions.

 

~HS~

 

They landed and the first thing Harry noticed was that they were nowhere near Hogwarts. The castles magic, always a subtle caress in the back of his mind, was gone. He got up and his hands were up and ready, Fleur's wand in her hand when she noticed this as well.

 

"Harry?" He growled and looked around, and then heard a deep hiss.

 

"Kill the spare!" There was a shout of the killing curse, but before it could hit Fleur she was knocked away and Harry was hit instead, knocked back several meters by the force of the curse.

 

"YAXLEY, YOU FOOL!" Was the last thing he heard before he knew blackness.

 

~HS~

 

The killing curse separated the soul from the body, but Harry still had the protections from his mother, bolstered by the ancient magic’s he gained nearly a decade ago. He woke up to mumblings and screams, groans and whimpers and then laughter. He got up shakily and then heard a voice he remembered from three years prior.

 

"I have returned, my loyal followers. I would have earned the power from my nemesis, but... Yaxley was foolish enough to kill the boy before I could. It is of no matter, as my flesh has been restored. As an added bonus, we have us a Veela to play with." There was a collective chuckle and then a cry of 'Crucio!' followed by a scream that had Harry's blood boiling.

 

~HS~

 

The most feared dark lord in a century laughed and lifted the curse, and then he froze as he heard a low, deep bellowing growl. He turned and looked at Fleur, but it didn't come from her. His eyes widened at the sight that rose from where the Potter boy had been killed. Standing there now was a Dragon, but not the Dragons wizards and witches new of this world, but a Dragon from ancient times. It was not just one color, yet it wasn't a hideous amalgamation of them, it was like a constant river of colors flowing through its body.

 

  
"Step away from the girl, Voldemort." It snarled out his name like it was a plague and forcefully moved the headstone that had belonged to Riddle's father. Stepping closer and putting a protective claw over the twitching Veela. He sent a blue/green pulse of magic into her, stopping her twitching and healing her body even deeper. He snarled and looked at Voldemort who was back peddling slowly.

 

"You think yourself above others, Voldemort, when truly you are mistaken. I do not take kindly to such blatant acts of malice and cruelty." Voldemort sneered and snapped off a killing curse at the large, ancient dragon, but only succeeded in making him angrier.

 

"Do not worry, beast, I shall make sure your death is as painful as you would have inflicted on others." With that he let out a deafening roar and the surrounding area was covered in a dome of pure radiant magic before it pulsed with electricity and fire. There was another flash and Fleur was put in a safer spot while Harry decided to end the self-styled dark lord. Curses and hexes, dark as their casters, rained on Harry in his gargantuan form, but did nothing but splash harmlessly on his shimmering scales. There was a scream of inhuman fury and pain as a large claw came down and cut the fabricated body of the dark lord in two. He tried desperately to apparate, or portkey away, but the barrier around them flashed angrily and made him cry out in pain as it reflected magic back at him. He felt his spirit try and escape, but the barrier held that in place as well.

 

"Your phylacteries are gone... oh yes, I know of them. I had a close friend take care of them for me, for a small fee." He snarled and in the next instant he was back in his child form, grasping the spirit with one hand and his other bound and disabled all magical items on the death eaters that tried to escape. He squeezed the apparition in his hand and glared.

 

"You will not return, Voldemort. Your spirit will be banished, you will spend the rest of your days in the wonderful hospitality of my beloved Raven Queen." He smirked at the look on the dark lord's ethereal face. "Oh yes... she will have fun with you. She does detest those who try and cheat death for selfish reasons." He let go of the apparition and watched as torrents of divine light came from his bubble and wrapped around it, one last scream of terror leaving the spirit before it was gone in a flash of light. Harry huffed and then decided that it was time for what was left of his childhood to take a backseat, probably never return. He clapped his hands together and then slowly extended them, an orb of pure magic forming before he put it into the torn apart body of the late Voldemort. The body mended, though still there was no soul to reside in it, and then he turned to the death eaters.

 

"Let’s go, shall we?" He raised his hands and then with a deafening slap they were all gone in a burst of near explosive magic. They re-appeared in the middle of the quidditch pitch, everyone still at the set up stands and the like near the forest. Fleur returned to his side with a thought and he gave her a tight hug before they took the cup that still had the portkey attached now that the first one was done with. They appeared to thunderous applause, those that had saw them vanish relieved as they were not supposed to be gone so long. Madame Pomfrey was quick to check over them as they had come back after Cedric and Krum made it to the pedestal after claiming victory. Harry immediately looked to Minister Fudge and the short, portly man froze at the gaze he was being held with.

 

"I suggest getting a team of Aurors, Madame Bones to be amongst them. The trophy had two portkeys layered one under the other. We went into an ambush... but it was dealt with." He then did something he should have done when his name first came out of the goblet. He extended his senses and felt an extra bit of darkness from three sources. Snape he knew... but Karkaroff was interesting as was... Bagman? He snarled and then clenched his fist and tugged, Bagman yelping and being yanked from the stands and crumbling to Harry's feet. He looked up and shuddered at the pure rage in the young boys eyes.

 

"Speak, Bagman!" He hissed and through the essence of fear lacing his words made Bagman do just that.

 

"I'm Barty Crouch Jr... Polyjuiced. Bagman is in my basement... barely alive." He whimpered and Harry glared up at Fudge, who had yet to move.

 

"Well!? Get the Aurors!" He snapped and Fudge huffed and mustered up his courage.

 

"Now your listen here, boy! I am the minister for magic, you cannot order me around. This man is clearly delusional for whatever reason." He huffed and was about to go on when he heard a snarl that promised nothing but pain and the voice that went with it was laced with the same fearful compulsion.

 

"I said to get the Aurors. You have thirty seconds before I get creative with my agitation. GO!" Fudge yelped and with a whirl of color was gone with an activated portkey. Harry looked around and grasped Crouch by the lapels of his suit. "Let's go talk, shall we, Crouch?" He glanced at Dumbledore. "We'll be in the middle of the pitch." Without even a whisper he left with the man in his arms.

 

~HS~

 

With a frantic minister spouting things about criminals and the like at Hogwarts, the Aurors (Madame Bones included) were quick to make it to the scene. They were directed to the quidditch pitch to see every single death eater strapped to a chair securely and oddly enough, comfortably. In the middle of a U shaped formation was propped up the corpse of the deceased lord Voldemort. In front of them all was none other than Harry Potter, just... glaring at them. The Aurors and Madame Bones felt a wave of magic pass over them and then they heard the young man talk.

 

"A pleasure to see you again, Madame Bones... and company." He glanced over his shoulder before he extended his hand to the death eaters. "They would stand, but they are... indisposed." He growled and they twitched. "All of them bear the mark and decided it would be fun to put on their costumes for old times’ sake... what with their master having returned." He gestured to the corpse of the dark lord. "However... that didn't last long."

 

Amelia Bones had been a regular at the height of the first Wizarding war, and had been once till the mid 80's when she became head of the department. So she could say she had seen quite a bit, but to see a child wield such... power, and control was unheard of to her. He was about to speak again as he had rose off the chair he had been sitting on when he snarled.

 

"I will NOT allow this!" He reached out and then a bright ball of light exited his hand and fired over the heads of the Aurors, colliding with a dementor and literally obliterating it with a shriek of pain. He snarled and glared at the terrified minister. "You have the head of the Auror department, and 15 of her best... do you not think them adequate to protect you? Have you no faith in their abilities?!" He hissed and schooled his features, looking at Madame Bones again. "My apologies, I have had a rough afternoon." She nodded curtly and they got right to business after, it would be a long night.

 

~HS~

 

The trails were swift and decisive, and the goblins did NOT let the richer death eaters touch their gold for bribes and the like. The Wizengamot and the House of Lords lost several 'prominent' members and there was a big stink about pure-bloods being ousted for their beliefs. That was thrown out quickly with a large expose on them from 'The Daily Prophet', that went in depth about all their misdeeds and crimes.

 

Harry knew that he had to do more than just enjoy his school years, so he tested out of school early in the summer. Taking, and acing, his O.W.L's and N.E.W.T.'s with little hassle. He went on to not only clean house on the Wizengamot, as he an emancipated lord now, but to almost completely reform the way the world worked. He did not force the Wizards into the 20th century, but he dragged them from the 16th with some newer laws and better reform. He was stern with this, and he had the power, the money, and the influence to do it all.

 

He worked like Dumbledore, in the back drop, advising and pushing. He never went for a direct seat of power, though also like Dumbledore he could if he desired. He was not all work and no play, however, and he was glad that Dumbledore allowed him to visit the school every weekend to spend time with his friends and his second godfather, Remus. He was surprised, but not upset in the slightest, when he found out that Remus and Sirius were more than just... best friends. He had walked in on them snogging like 6th years and for a week after that teased them near mercilessly. Though they got him back when they found him mid snog with his girlfriend of two years. A Ms. Luna Lovegood.

 

Luna had really grown on him, and had actually lost a bit of her extra quirkiness as she grew older, and her parents were very accepting of him. It could be because he was a gentleman and genuinely felt for Luna, or the fact that he helped them find a plethora of 'mythical' creatures on their summers spent together. Luna and Harry never went further than being broom closet friends together, but they never strayed apart as true friends. He was alright with that, he was even her maid of honor at her wedding; he wore the dress and everything. He would state, however, to this day that the heels were a bad idea.

 

Harry did not find his wife until he was 32, and surprisingly for him it was none other than Fleur Delacour. He had been raiding a tomb in Egypt for lost draconian secrets when he ran into her as he was leaving. She had been on a curse breaker team and they were surprised, and a bit disgruntled, when he opened the door from the inside. They had caught up with each other, talking about old times, and two years later he was kissing her sweetly as they finished their wedding vows, it was a wonderful ceremony.

 

Harry and Fleur were not alone in their relationship, though. They were joined by the very vibrant and slightly older Nymphadora Tonks. She only allowed them use of her name in the bedroom, but that was a different story all together. They finished off their little family with Neville Longbottom, and a few kids from each of the wives. Harry offered to carry a child, but the witches felt that would be too weird... despite all the rest of the things he had done over the years.

 

Harry hummed to himself as he looked over the forbidden forest from the top of the Astronomy tower at Hogwarts. He had decided to pay a visit to his 6th child, Palasia Amri Potter, as it was her first year. He sighed and chuckled as he watched Oakeyes and his entwife Sequoia moving the tree line back as they had gotten a bit over zealous with all the new magic entering Hogwarts with the start of the new term. He smiled as he felt arms wrap around him from behind, turning to kiss his first wife Fleur softly.

 

"A beautiful sight, is it not, my dear?" She nodded and returned the kiss with one of her own.

 

"Oui, my husband. Come now, Palasia is asking for her poppa, and you know how she gets." Harry laughed and nodded, giving her another kiss and one last look at the forest. His life was complete, but he had plenty of years to live it in all of its splendor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Ok, so when I started this I intended ti to be a short one shot. It got away from me... thus why it is so fucking long. I will not crop it, or go through it with a fine toothed comb. I will spell check it, but it is a one shot. There will probably be inconsistencies, but I am going to try to not have too many. Either way, I hope any who reads it enjoys it. Read and review, please.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Everyone has to do at least one; this is my shot at the whole Time Travel thing. It's with my own little twist; I hope it's good for everyone. Enjoy!

Snippet #5: Timeless

  
Voldemort had raised his wand. His head was still tilted to one side, like a curious child, wondering what would happen if he proceeded. Harry looked back into the red eyes, and wanted it to happen now, quickly, while he could still stand, before he lost control, before he betrayed fear --- He saw the mouth move and a flash of green light, and everything was gone. (Borrowed from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Pg. 704)

 

Harry Potter woke up and looked around, surprised at what he saw. He expected to see his parents, his godfather, Remus... Tonks, but all he saw was space. He looked at himself to find himself clothed in blue gossamer robes that seemed to flow with an invisible wind. He turned and noticed he was not weightless as he would have thought, nor did he need to breath. When he did turn it was to the sight of something not even magic would be able to explain.

 

In front of Harry, he was not sure far, worked a colossal man. He knew large, he had seen the giants Tom had brought to the final battle, dragons that towered over even giants, but this man... he was literally moving planets and stars with his hands as if they were pebbles and small stones. The man looked up as if he just noticed something and then looked at Harry who inhaled sharply. The man grinned and then in a blink of an eye the man, now only standing about 6'4" was standing in front of Harry.

 

"Ah, Mr. Potter... I have been, expecting you..." His voice had small tings and chimes within it, as if his voice was mixed perfectly with that of a clock. Harry backed up a bit, and was surprised when the man smiled. "Do not be afraid... I am not here to harm you. No, quite the contrary. I am here to help you. Come with me, won't you, Harry?" He gestured to the side and a road appeared, and then Harry gasped again as he saw they were now walking on one of the rings of Saturn.

 

  
"Who are you....? Are you, god?" The man laughed, hearty and loud as he walked, calming down and shaking his head after a good laugh.

 

"God? Oh... oh dear. I have not been called a god in almost two thousand of your years." He smiled softly at Harry, and it was then that Harry noticed this man wore silver robes. They sparkled with what could quite possibly be thousands of tiny stars. His skin looked as if he spent a summer getting a nice tan, and he was completely bald. He kind of reminded Harry of Kingsley, without the earing and Auror badge.

 

"My name is Dominus Tempus. I am one of the eternal four. I control all Time that ever has, or ever will be. There is not a year, an hour, a second that goes by that I do not know of." He was walking with Harry slowly, hands crossed behind his back as they spoke.

 

"You mortals, are a curious bunch, do you know this? Always getting into things you need not concern yourselves with, yet at the same time you can achieve so much in your short lives." He turned to Harry and then with a blink they were facing the earth, from the moon.

 

"Such a wondrous planet. There are similar in the massive expanse of the Universe, Harry, but Earth is unique. It took several billion years for it to form, to get to where it is today, but still it grows." He turned to Harry again.

 

"Even rarer, however, is when is touched by one of the eternal four. When one is favored above all others." He turned gaze at the stars. "There are more sentient beings in this universe than you can possible fathom in your mortal mind, and I see them all. Yet... I touched one on Earth." Harry bit his lip, he didn't want to assume, but he had to know. He was thankfully, or not, saved from asking.

 

"No, it is not you, Harry, at least not directly." He turned back to the stunned teen. "Yes, another was touched by me, and through them you were touched. Care to guess?" He smiled and then sat down, in midair, Harry doing the same after hesitantly trying.

 

"Uhm... Tom Riddle?" Dominus snorted and waved his hand in dismissal.

 

"He was not even touched Mors Aeterna. He is a child who believes himself immortal. No, not him." He gestured for Harry to guess again.

 

"Dumbledore?" The man chuckled again and shook his head, holding up a finger as if to say one more guess. "Uhm... Ollivander?" He smiled at the man and got a shake of his head.

 

"Good guesses, especially the last one, but not quite. No, the one who I personally touched was one I saw nearly fall to despair and pain." He frowned softly, as did Harry. "Her name is Hermione, I do believe you know her." Harry blinked owlishly and then sputtered softly before Dominus continued.

 

"It was in her 13th year of life, you magical mortals are correct in assuming the numbers 7 and 13 are especially magical. I worked closely with Nullam Incarnati to make it so. The four of us are very close, you see... but that is a tale for another time. Now, as I was saying." He blinked and he and Harry found themselves sitting at a small table outside of a restaurant. A waiter brought Harry his favorite dish: Kedgeree, and Dominus an espresso with a chocolate custard. He took a sip and smiled.

 

  
"Aah... perfectly done. I do love this little place when I visit earth." He looked at Harry. "Eat, it's real. Now, once again, as I was saying." He leaned back and smiled.

 

"Hermione was given one of my time turners, something I gifted your people many centuries ago. As Mors gave the Hallows, I gave time turners. They are not primitive magic, but they are simple. The sands within do not just symbolize time, they are literally the sands of time. Within the center of the universe rests a pool of the sands, those who worship me as their god live around the pool, serving me for eternity." He took a sip of his coffee after a bite of his custard, sighing at the taste, Harry eating himself but still listening.

 

"During one of her many turns back into time the device cracked, and the sand touched her, and through that I touched her. As I said, I watch everyone at all times, but I pay just a bit more attention to those who I touch. Hermione is special, and right now she listens with rapt attention as Minerva McGonagall explains that she is a witch." At that Harry's eyes snapped to the eternal being's gaze.

 

"Did I not mention? My apologies, it is currently October 1st, 1990." He gestured to a newspaper stand where the date was plastered on the side, showing that it was indeed said date.

 

"But yes, Minerva is explaining to her just what it means to be a witch. Though she is yet to have the time turner, once you are touched by time your existence as being so is always known to me." He took another sip. "Now, she was touched by me, but her magic leaped out to touch yours as she was still adjusting to the temporal fluctuations of her magic due to being touched so late in her life. Because of this fluctuation, you formed a bond." Through all of this he was finishing his custard and espresso, Harry having finished his meal as well.

 

"It is not a bond like the life debt you have, nor the fabled soul bond, but it brings you close nonetheless. Her bond with you is strong, and yours is just as so as well... However there was a fracture and it pained her greatly." Harry leaned forward, again sputtering before he collected himself.

 

"What happened? What did I do... it was me, right? I... I'm the problem with breaking the bond..." He trailed, always one to jump to such conclusions.

 

"Yes, it was you... but it was not out of malice, or hatred. It was done because of how you grew up, Harry. You saw love, but you never experienced it. Because of this you were stunted, you could not further the bond between the two of you." He paused, Harry looking crestfallen before he blinked softly. He looked up and opened his mouth a few times before he spoke, softly.

 

"She loved me?" Dominus smiled softly, it was a calm, gentle smile.

 

"Loved, Harry? No... that would insinuate that she no longer loves you. She watched you grow into the young man you are now. There were times where you were apart, where you fought, but ultimately you two were inseparable. You are called the golden trio by your friends and even the greater Wizarding world, but it is truly a diamond duo." Harry coughed softly. "Did you like that? I do... I find it rather amusing." Harry smiled softly and then after a blink they were both in comfortable chairs in a large, cozy den.

 

"The reason you are here, Harry, is because if I can I will help those touched by me to be happy. If they truly deserve it, truly earn what should be there’s. I have touched others who caused nothing but pain and strife, and they paid for it, but those who earn love get it in spades when I have a say it in. I want to send you back, Harry, back to a point where you can further the bond with each other." He crossed his legs, hands clasped together resting under his chin as his elbows were on the chairs arms, gazing at Harry.

 

"You will return to the time of my choosing, and you will have no recollection of this conversation for several years. It will return to you someday, but until then you shall be a normal child." He smiled softly at Harry's incredulous look. "Oh... you will be a normal child, being a wizard non-withstanding." He chuckled and Harry huffed good naturedly.

 

"Will... I see you again, Sir?" He was rewarded with a hearty chuckle.

 

"Yes, yes you will. I will see you again when your beard has reached your knees, not a moment sooner." He nodded and Harry smiled, getting up and leaning down to look at Harry.

 

"Now, Harry... wake up." With that he put a hand on his shoulder and Harry gasped.

 

~T~

  
"BOY! Get up!" 6 year old Harry Potter jerked awake from his Uncle Vernon hollering at him before he was yanked from his cupboard. He stumbled softly and looked up to see a red faced uncle and a sneering aunt Petunia.

 

"Here!" A set of brand new, well-fitting clothes was shoved into his hands. "Get cleaned up, comb that mop you call hair, and put those on. We have new neighbors coming over for dinner that don't need to see you in Dudley's well-worn clothes. Even if you don't deserve these, you need to make a good impression." Petunia spoke, her voice shrill as always. Harry's face was then inches from his uncle's as the larger man leaned down.

 

"If there is any freakishness, I swear you'll regret it, understand?" Harry nodded and then scampered up the stairs, doing just as he was asked. Even if they were just to impress new neighbors, the clothes were nice and they fit! He did his best with his hair, and was surprised that it laid flat and slick on his head when he wished so hard for it. His glasses were new, and for now unbroken by Dudley, so that was good. His bruises from two weeks before were almost gone, and nothing but a trained eye would see them.

 

Harry came downstairs, looking spiffy and well.. good for a boy of six. He was very intelligent for his age, but he had to keep it to himself otherwise he'd get an extra thumping because he was a freak and didn't need to do better than good, deserving kids like Dudley. Harry was tugged over to his aunt who inspected him with a critical, if disdainful eye before she looked at her husband.

 

"It will do, Vernon." She turned to the two boys in as they stood next to each other. "Now, we are expecting them in the next five minutes. Be on your best behavior, and do not embarrass us!" She was speaking to them both, but Dudley knew it was directed more to his freak cousin than him. "They have a daughter, she is seven and from what we hear very smart, and remember." She glared at Harry. "No freakishness!" He nodded and they waited for their guests. Not five minutes later the doorbell rang and Vernon went to open the door.

 

Three people entered, as Vernon and Petunia had said they would, and Harry smiled softly. Standing just in the doorway, their coats being taken politely by Petunia, was a father, a mother and a daughter. The Father stood tall, at least six inches taller than Vernon, with a physique that spoke volumes on what he used to do before settling down. His hair was a soft brown and his eyes were a startling blue. His wife was about Petunia's height, but it showed that she took care of herself far more than Petunia did. Her hair was curly with a little bit of untamed fluff to it, and her eyes were a deep mahogany. They looked wonderful standing beside each other, but what drew Harry's attention was their daughter.

 

He was only 6, but even he could appreciate subtle hints of budding beauty. The girl was not amazingly striking, but Harry knew then that she would grow up to be just as beautiful as her mother. Her hair was downright bushy, but it seemed to suit her well. It fell a little bit past her shoulders and her eyes were the more warming cinnamon brown Harry had ever seen. Not that he had seen many eyes of this color, but he would be lying if he thought they were any less striking.

 

"Allow me to introduce my wonderful family. This is my lovely wife Petunia." Petunia smiled and gave a polite quarter bow. "My strapping son, Dudley." Dudley smiled, but it was halfhearted and the visiting family could already tell he was bored. "And... our nephew, Harry." The wife caught the derision, though slight, when Harry was introduced.

 

"A pleasure to meet you, sir, ma'am, miss." Harry said to each of the three respectively, causing Vernon to glower for a moment.

 

"Petunia, Dudley... Harry." He turned to the three guests. "This is Mr. and Mrs. Granger and their daughter... I'm sorry, I forgot her name." Vernon tried to look sheepish, but he actually just hadn't been paying attention.

 

"My name is Hermione Granger. I am seven years old and one day I hope to be an Oncologist and do my very best to cure cancer." She was so innocent, so vibrant and full of a thirst for knowledge. Petunia tittered softly and smiled.

 

"Oh, isn't she precious? I remember when I was her age... I wanted to be a model." She sighed, and then turned to them. "Shall we proceed to the dining room? I do believe the roast is just about done." They all agreed and went into said dining room. Vernon sitting next to Mr. Granger, who in turn sat next to his wife and their daughter. Harry sat next to Hermione, as per her request, and Petunia sat on the other side of Vernon with Dudley on her side.

 

The roast Petunia had been slaving all day on turned out to be... mediocre at best, due to the fact that she decided not to let Harry take care of it. He was no culinary genius, but he knew his way around the kitchen, it was his job after all. He found out that Mr. and Mrs. Granger were dentists, very well off dentists. They had bought number 5 across the street, and had remodeled it to their likes, which to Vernon meant they were definitely well to do. Dudley excused himself to the loo but never came back, and they heard him enjoying the tele in the next room. Harry and Hermione didn't care, though; they were getting on like two peas in a pod.

 

Petunia engaged Mrs. Granger in conversation, but it was basically one sided as Petunia was a gossip monger and a bit of a pest. Vernon did the same with Mr. Granger, but as they both enjoyed golf, it was a little more balanced. Harry and Hermione were prattling on about school, much to the young girls delight. It seemed that Harry loved to learn, and he was not above showing interest in it either. It felt to the both of them as the start of a beautiful friendship. They were practically the same age, they loved learning, they were best friends! That was it! At that age, it's how it worked.

 

  
~T~

 

Vernon and Petunia did not like the fact that their freak of a nephew got along so well with the neighbors daughter. It should be their Duddikins, not the boy. They couldn't exactly say anything about it though; it wasn't like the Grangers were a bad influence. The neighborhood loved them, they were kind, kept their home and yard clean, and their daughter and the Potter boy were always making baked goods for everyone. The Dursley parents had to begrudgingly let Harry earn the grades he was able to, otherwise the neighbors would talk and that was not good.

 

  
The years went by, and though they had their little childhood squabbles here and there, Harry and Hermione were basically attached at the hip. It was cool October day, the first to be exact, when Harry noticed that Hermione was kind of fidgety. She seemed to be waiting for something, and her mother was the same. He came up and sat beside her, smiling and giving her a one armed hug.

 

"What's wrong, 'Mione? You’re so... jumpy." She smiled weakly at him and shrugged, then her mother perked up softly.

 

"Ah! I... just remember. Harry, you should probably get back to your house. We have a visitor coming today and wel-" She paled softly when the doorbell rang, and then went to get it. They had received a letter two weeks prior, just shortly after Hermione's 11th birthday, and had sent a reply. Harry wondered what was going on and then Mrs. Granger came back with an elderly looking woman. She wore a robe and looked like one of those ladies in the play about Victorian England Harry had went to with the Grangers. She wasn't severely old looking, but she was more certainly getting on in her years.

 

"Ah... Had I known you had a visitor, I would have waited. My apologies, Mrs. Granger." Mrs. Granger shook her head and smiled.

 

"Quite alright, Harry was just about to head home." The older woman nodded and then when Harry looked at her she gasped and stumbled back, hand on her chest.

 

"Bless my soul! Harry Potter!" Harry blinked at her knowing his name and he tilted his head.

 

"You know me, Ma'am?" The woman blinked and then frowned.

 

"Know you? Of course I know you! Everyone in our world knows you! You should..." She then growled, it was not a pleasant or very welcome sound coming from the formidable looking female. "Dursley..." The name was said with venom, and Harry flinched softly. "Mr. Potter will have no need to leave, this will concern him as well, just a tad earlier than anticipated." Harry sat next to Hermione and the other three occupants of the room gasped as the woman took out a stick and turned a handkerchief she dropped into a stiff, high back chair.

 

"My name is Minerva McGonagall, I am the deputy headmistress at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry." She smiled softly at the gob smacked expressions, though the one from Harry bothered her. He should know at least some things! "I am also teacher of Transfiguration, what you just saw. I have a mastery in it as well, what you would call as Mastery in your own schooling." Mrs. Granger sat back with a soft whimper.

 

"The letter you received was truthful, Ms. Granger here is a witch, and Mr. Potter is a wizard. However, he should not receive his letter until he is 11." Harry frowned softly but then looked at Hermione.

 

"This is why you were so twitchy?" She nodded sheepishly and gave her a one armed hug and a friendly kiss on the cheek. He never really entered the 'girls are icky' phase, but he wasn't near the 'girls are fantastic' phase either. "Well, no reason to be, right? We'll get to go to the same school!" She smiled and gave him a hug, then Harry turned back to McGonagall.

 

"Is being a wizard how I turned Mrs. Turnblat's hair blue?" He flushed softly at the embarrassing memory, though she had been having a go at Hermione, he would not let that happen!

 

"Yes, that is what we like to call accidental magic. Your magical core is not yet refined, and with extreme emotion you can act out." With that she went into a explanation about Diagon Alley, the Wizarding world, and even a bit on how she knew Harry and the like.

 

And from there the time line deviated. A smiling eternal one watched as the flow of time shifted. There was no Gryffindor trio, but the Diamond Duo as he coined. There was no troll incident, no Basilisk... Harry did get his normal, happy childhood and school life. Dominus nodded and then turned his attention to the countless he watched and took care of. Already looking for the next one to deserve his touch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: I wanted to go on, but I didn't want to turn it into another 25k snippet. I might do another time travel story, but with Harry going back to like 5th year or something. As always, read, review, enjoy!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: This is idea I got from a story I had written for a friend. It's another time travel one, but not like the previous. Hope you enjoy.

Snippet # 6: Not a Fan of Weakness.

 

Harry Potter was walking away from yet another detention with 'Professor' Umbridge. His hand was on fire, and he was sure if this kept up he'd have yet another wonderful scar to show his friends and family. He walked, more like stumbled down the hall, trying to stay away from the blood loss. Five hours... five (literally) bloody hours he was in detention. It was midnight and he expected Snape to pop out from one of the dark corners and assign him a years’ worth of detention. He stumbled yet again when a blinding flash of light entered the corridor, and then knew he was losing it as he saw himself standing before him. He blinked softly and with a low groan of pain, he passed out.

 

  
~NFW~

 

Harry blinked as he woke up to the familiar sterile color and smell of the hospital wing. He groaned and sat up, then muttered to himself with a small smirk as he let realization dawn on him.

 

"It worked... it actually worked." He chuckled and then winced at his hand as it throbbed in pain. He snarled softly at it, the faint 'I must not tell lies.' etched onto his hand. It was still early in the school year, so he had time to treat it. He looked around him to see that the sun was barely peeking from the horizon, meaning it was about 7 or so. He got up out of bed and stretched, remembering that his younger body was still weak and un-conditioned. He flexed his muscles and grumbled, he would have to fix this. He turned to see Madame Pomfrey coming his way, a slight glare on her face.

 

"Just going to the loo, ma'am. Then going right back into bed, I want to relax a bit more." She was surprised at his lack of protest to being there, but she nodded and watched him. He came out of the loo a little bit after entering and took a seat. She whipped her wand out and ran some diagnostic charms on him.

 

"Your core is steadily recharging. Thank your lucky stars the Fat Friar was roaming the halls. Went straight for me, I was on the verge of sleep myself." She tsk's softly and then took his marred hand, starting to cover it in what he knew was murlap essence mixed with essence of Dittany. He smiled at her, and she nodded softly.

 

"Care to explain what exactly happened to you, Mr. Potter?" Harry sat back and explained everything. From Umbridge's blood quills to McGonagall’s' 'keep your head down.' She huffed at everything and shook her head.

 

"Ridiculous. I knew that woman was trouble. As appointed physician for Hogwarts, and authority on your health, I am hereby rescinding your detentions. If she wishes to contest, have her take it up with me. I may work here, but I am an employee of St. Mungo's, and I will not have a student mistreated under the guise of discipline." She huffed and he let her know there were no others that he knew of who got the detentions he did. He allowed her to take pictures of the wound was the essence's were absorbed, for medical documentation.

 

Harry spent the rest of the day enjoying the rather welcome hospitality of the hospital matron. She was a lovely witch when she was not in healer mode. He listened as she told stories of his father and mother, stories he had not heard in his previous time line. She was a witch with a rather long memory, and he liked that. During lunch, as she was dealing with a Slytherin 7th year who was getting nuts with his NEWT studying, he thought about what he was going to change.

 

He thought about the Horcrux in his head again and frowned, he could get it out easily, and the goblins did everything for the right price. He smirked in thought, yeah, the little green money grubbers loved making gold. He was going to make sure that Arthur was nowhere NEAR the prophecy, or anyone else for that matter. He knew it by heart after all. Harry, if he could manage it, was not going to let anyone fall to Tom or Dumbledore's stupid plans. He did not spend 10 years studying to come back and not use every moment to the best of his ability.

 

Another reason he came back was kind of selfish, but he didn't give a flying fuck about that. He was going to see her again. See her when she was still perky, full of life, not the frumpy, waste she had become. He sighed as he thought of his brown eyed, bushy haired bookworm friend. A grin on his face at the thought of seeing her smile. For him it had been almost 25 years since she last smiled. She became a ministry employee, and then after her first kid it was decided for her that it was all she would be allowed to do. By the time he came back she had trumped Molly in the child department, with 9 out, and the 10th and 11th on the way. He sighed and shook his head, not this time.

 

~NFW~

 

Harry was let out of the Infirmary around 7 that night, and smirked in thought about what would happen come the next morning. He was supposed to be in detention, but with Madame Pomfrey's words he was let go. He couldn't wait to see the toad's face when she found out the news. He went to his tower and spoke the password, entering the slightly noisy common room and sitting beside a studying Hermione. She barely noticed the shift till she was flipping a page and saw someone beside her. She looked up and blinked.

 

"Harry?" He nodded and smiled and she looked at her analog watch before looking at him. "Aren't you supposed to be in detention with Prof. Umbridge?" Harry shrugged and instead of letting her get all heated he clarified for her.

 

"As my acting physician, and the same of Hogwarts, Madame Pomfrey rescinded my detentions for my health." He glanced at his hand then at Hermione again.

 

  
"Oh... well that's great!" She smiled and gave him a hug, and to her surprise he returned it with gusto. He broke the hug and gave her a kiss on the cheek.

 

"So! What are you studying tonight?" She blushed prettily at his kiss but cleared her throat and started talking about a theory about Charms she had been wondering about. He listened and put in his two knuts every so often, until the door to the tower burst open with Umbridge, McGonagall, and Dumbledore standing there. It seems he didn't have to wait for the next morning after all.

 

"Mr. Potter! You are supposed to be in my office. You still have two weeks of detention. I guess I will just have to add another week." She glared and almost snarled when she smiled at her.

 

"I apologize for not informing you, Professor, but your detentions were rescinded." He was not being condescending, or rude, but stating a fact. She rounded on Dumbledore and McGonagall, the only ones (in her mind) with the power to do that.

 

"It wasn't them, Professor." She turned back and he answered before she could ask who. "It was Madame Pomfrey, acting as my own and the school physician. She felt your detentions were bad for my health, so she cancelled them." He smiled and she growled.

 

"We'll see about that!" She huffed and stormed out, Harry giving a soft glare at his head of house before he went back to talking with Hermione. McGonagall and Dumbledore left after Umbridge, to see just what would happen with their hospital matron, and Harry shook his head softly. He was too busy in the presence of his favorite person in the world.

 

~NFW~

 

Later that same night Harry was in the room of requirement, thinking about how to get to the goblins when he laughed to himself and cleared his throat.

  
"Dobby!" There was the telltale ~crack~ of elf travel and Harry smiled. "It's good to see you, my friend." He chuckled when Dobby collided with his legs and nearly wept with joy at Harry calling him a friend. "I have a question for you, Dobby."

 

"Yes! What can Dobby be doing for the great Harry Potter sir?" He was bubbling in anticipation.

 

"Do you and Winky still need a family?" Dobby, though still eager, wilted a bit.

 

"Dobby be wanting a family, but Winky be needing one terribly. She is so close to dying, she wants not to bond with the castle." He frowned and Harry nodded. He cleared his throat again and spoke with firm command.

 

"Winky!" There was a delay, then a lighter ~crack~ as the sicker looking elf popped in. She stumbled softly but Dobby caught her. She looked around and blinked softly before looking at Harry.

 

"Youse be calling Winky, Mr. Harry Potter?" He smiled and nodded, kneeling to put a hand on her shoulder.

 

"The house of Potter is looking for two elves. It has found one in Dobby." At this the elf literally fainted and Harry chuckled. "But it needs another... will Winky be that elf?" He smiled, giving her cheek a gentle caress, letting some of his unbound magic flow into her pale face. She sighed and put a hand on his and nodded.

 

"If you will haves Winky, yes. Winky will be best elf for the Potter family." Harry nodded and after waking up the unconscious elf he bound them both to his family. He was sitting on the floor, looking them both in the eye when he gave them his first order as their master.

 

"There is an elf, who lives in the most ancient and noble house of Black. His name is Kreacher." Dobby sneered and Harry nodded. "Yes, I see you know him, Dobby." The elf nodded and Harry went back to looking at them both. "He has not only failed the house of Black, but he is doing everything he can to go against his orders and rules. We cannot have that. I need you two to enact elven justice upon him. When that is done, seek out the lord Black. Tell him that I have taken you as my elves, and if the house of Black needs cleaning he need only ask." Dobby nodded, as did Winky, though hers was a little slower.

 

"The lord Black is my godfather; he will not harm you, Winky." She nodded and bowed her head in apology and he smiled. "Go, return if the lord Black wishes to contact me." They both ~cracked~ away before Harry cursed himself. "Fuck... Dobby!" The elf returned, confused for a moment.

 

"Yes master Harry Potter sir?" Harry chuckled softly and smiled.

 

"Master Potter, or Harry sir is fine, Dobby. I need you to take me to Gringotts; I have need of the goblins." Dobby frowned but nodded before grasping his masters’ hand and taking him away from the room of requirement. They appeared just outside of Gringotts, Dobby knew better than to take his master inside and lose him just as he got him. Dobby popped away after a bow and Harry stepped inside, confident but not cocky. It was a little less active at this time of night, nearly midnight on a Saturday, but the goblins didn't understand the concept of closing hours. Without even looking up the goblin he approached spoke.

 

"What is it, human?" Harry smiled softly, he loved dealing with these little bastards, and it was amusing when you surprised them. He leaned in and spoke in a whisper, but the goblin heard him loud and clear.

 

"I am here to trade with Ms. Traxlemaxle." The goblin looked up, eyes wide and then they narrowed as he snapped his fingers. Two guards came over and he pointed to Harry.

 

"Take this... young man to the powder room." A nearby wizard snickered as Harry was led away by the goblins. Harry was not dragged or forced, but the goblins did not speak to him on their little trek. They walked for about 10 minutes through tunnels and down stairs before the goblins stopped and pointed to a door that was half there. The other half blown off in some fashion.

 

"Good luck, wizard." They sneered and left, Harry shaking his head and walking the rest of the distance. He came up to the half door and knocked the first half of 'shave and a haircut'. After about 30 seconds he got 'two bits' back in a knock then a sharp, high pitched.

 

"Come in!" Harry did just that, ducking under the door and smiling in fondness at what he saw. The room, probably as large as the great hall, was filled with barrels. Some were empty, others were barely barrels at all, but most were filled with a fine, grey powder. Gunpowder, that is. He went towards the center to where a work station was set up, with a slightly larger, female goblin sitting at it and fiddling with a stick of dynamite.

 

"What can I do for you, short stuff?" Harry snickered and looked at her, giving a grin and speaking.

 

"Well, Souzxie, it's what I can do for you." She raised an eyebrow, he knew her first name, and very... very few non-goblins knew her name. She made a gesture, with the stick in her hand, signaling for him to go on.

 

"I know of two." He held up two fingers. "Ancient and noble houses that have gone against their Gringotts contractual agreements. And these houses are wealthy." Souzxie blinked and grinned a grin that would make Hagrid shudder in fear.

 

"Oh... please, have a seat, young wizard. Yes, let's have ourselves a conversation." She cackled and he sat down on a provided stool, starting to talk with the crazy goblin.

 

~NFW~

 

Harry left the bank around 4am after some serious negotiations. Negotiations being he and the psychotic goblin took a few sticks of dynamite and a very long cart ride to two of the lowest vaults in under Gringotts. Their first stop was the Lestrange vault, and Souzxie slid her finger down the front of the vault door. She had skillfully moved around the cursed coins and took the cup from the very back of the vault. She then left with Harry and went to the Malfoy vault. She took great pride and joy in opening this vault. As a long time account holder the Malfoy’s had taken the option to have a key only lock, no goblin could open this with their magic. Most wizards did not do this as they trusted the goblins, for the most part.

 

Souzxie, apart from maybe the goblin king, was the only one who could bypass this. While the king had a universal key, Souzxie had gunpowder and a deliciously evil cackle. Her laugh echoed through the cave and when the dynamite went off and blew the vault door to smithereens her laugh was even louder. Armed goblins came to the alarm of a vault being broken into, but they stopped when they saw who had broken into it. Souzxie was daughter in law to the goblin king, and he preferred her to his actual children, so she had plenty of authority.

 

She had explained everything to the bank manager when they got back up to the top, and the assets of both families were being poured into the coffers of the goblin nation, which was a considerable sum to say the least. All Harry wanted in return was the removal of the Horcrux into his possession and the removal of the one in his scar. That went well enough for him, and he found himself back at Hogwarts at 5 after 4, hitting the bed in the R.O.R like a log and passing out, feeling accomplished.

 

~NFW~

 

Harry woke at about 11am the next day, glad it was Sunday so he didn't have to worry about detentions for skipping classes. He yawned and after a quick report from Dobby and a note from Sirius he went to shower and change for the day. He yawned and walked into the common room, ignoring the looks he got as he went up to change. He didn’t blame them, but he didn't care. His robes were covered with dust from the explosions, Souzxie insisted on testing more sticks on the Malfoy vaults, just in case.

 

Harry came down from cleaning and changing and made his way to lunch, not even bothering to pay attention to the glares and wary looks he got. He sat next to Hermione and gave her a kiss on the cheek, which caused her to flush and look at him surprised.

  
"Good afternoon, 'Mione." He smiled and started eating as she blushed and smiled back with her own greeting. "What are you reading there?" She hummed and showed him the book she had. It was labeled 'Creatures and Bonds.'

 

"Something I found on the foot of my bed this morning. I took it over to Prof. McGonagall for checking and she said it was all clean." She put a bookmark on the page she was on and flipped to another. "Did you know that House elves need a source of magic to latch onto or they die?" She asked in a hushed whisper of barely hidden shock.

 

Harry nodded, smiling softly, whispering to her. "Yeah, I knew that, 'Mione. It's why two certain house elves are now bound to the house of Potter." She blinked and he winked, putting a finger to his lips. "I'll tell you all about it later, alright?" She nodded and then went back to her reading.

 

He spent the rest of the day just... relaxing. Mostly with Hermione, though he did roam around the castle for an hour or two closer to curfew. He came across someone he had been rather close friends with in the previous time line, and had watched them leave England, never returning. It had hurt him, but he understood. He wondered if he could prevent it this time. He came up to said person and smiled before speaking.

 

" _Quel lome ithil seler_." He bowed and then smiled at her gob smacked reaction. After a minute or so she responded in kind.

 

" _Quel lome taur toror._ " She bowed her head then spoke in her dreamy voice, whispering, almost fearfully. "How did you know...?" He shrugged and she was then almost completely in his personal space. Eyes no longer wide and round, but almond shaped and searching, still however their color was still silvery grey. "You reek of mother magic's touch... you are not the same Harry... yet you are." He nodded and she stepped back, eyes back to their 'normal' appearance.

 

"I won't tell anyone, Luna, there is no reason for it. Though, I’d like to be friends." She smiled and nodded, and he ended up escorting her to Ravenclaw tower right before curfew. He was walking back to Gryffindor tower when he ran into the headmaster. He nodded politely and stopped as Dumbledore smiled and spoke in his normal grandfatherly way.

 

"Ah, on your way back before curfew, Mr. Potter?" Harry nodded and noticed Dumbledore was not looking him in the eye, and he remembered exactly the reason.

 

"My shields are tight, Headmaster. Besides, you don't have to worry about the Horcrux." He watched Dumbledore blink in surprise before the smile came back, though a little nervous.

 

"So you found out, my boy?" Harry nodded and Dumbledore sighed. "Shall we head to my office then? I feel there is much to discuss."

 

"After you, headmaster." Dumbledore nodded and made his way towards his office with Harry in tow, both in a calm, albeit a slightly awkward silence. Dumbledore said the password (Jelly Belly), and they ascended the stairs to his office. They took a seat in respective spots and Dumbledore looked up.

 

"How much do you know, Mr. Potter?" Harry leaned back and hummed, smiling.

 

"I know what they are, where they are, how to get rid of them, and what is in the Department of Mysteries." Dumbledore was shocked to speechlessness, so Harry continued. "The one in my head is gone though, Headmaster. The goblins took care of that last night. I took a little journey after midnight, sorry." He didn't look sorry at all, but could Dumbledore fault him for getting rid of that taint from his body?

 

"How did you come upon this knowledge, Harry?" Dumbledore was back to his grandfatherly persona, having switched to serious Wizard mode for a second.

 

"A little of this, a little of that. Just know that I am still on your side, and I want to get this dealt with." Harry thought for a moment before he smiled. Ah! Perhaps you and I can take a trip to the D.O.M. and I can get it so Tommy boy doesn't?" He smirked at Dumbledore's soft chuckle at calling the so called dark lord 'Tommy boy.'

 

"Yes, perhaps we can, Harry. Is there anything else you'd like to talk about before I let you go back to your dorm? You have given me plenty to ponder." He asked, fingers steeped in front of his face.

 

"Now that you mention it, yeah. Uhm... I know it's important, but you should stop using the order to patrol the prophecy room. No need to get them attacked or something if snake face sends any goons or that large snake of his." Dumbledore thought about it and nodded. He then took out a piece of parchment and wrote something on it before handing it to Harry.

 

"In case you are caught out of bounds by a professor. It is past curfew now. Thank you, for being honest, Harry. Perhaps we can have tea and discuss the locations before we get them?" Harry nodded and with a playful salute he went off to his dorm.

 

~NFW~

 

The next weeks leading up to the Yule holiday were filled with an abundance of events of interest. The first being that many people saw one Luna Lovegood around Harry, rather frequently. She could be often seen sitting next to him with her head on his shoulder and arms wrapped around one of his as they talked. Rumors started about them being together, but that was quashed rather wonderfully with the second event to take place.

 

That was the rather sudden, and public, snogging of his best friend: Hermione Granger. It had been originally to silence her as she had been arguing with Luna about one of her creatures. It turned into more than just one simple kiss though, and now the whole school knew they were seeing each other more than just friendly like. That really didn't bother anyone, except for a certain male Weasley, but he got over it quickly when one Lavender Brown came in to wipe that frown off his lips.

 

Another event of notice was when one Professor Umbridge tried to give a detention to a large collection of gathered students for practicing spells. She had come across them in a large, abandoned hall that Harry had had the elves clean out for such a thing, and she was smirking and eager to start giving out punishments. That was until she saw that the Headmaster himself was giving the class. Her face had gone from smug and sinister to apoplectic and puce.

 

The next day there was one of her new educational Decree's banning such a gathering, but she had forgotten that while she was the Hogwarts High Inquisitor, the group had been sanctioned by the headmaster. His ruling was absolute, and she could do nothing about that. She could try, but as no child was endangered or getting hurt in anyway, she had no legs to stand on.

 

The Yule holiday came and Harry insisted that Hermione spend it with her parents. He wanted to spend it with her, but he knew how little she saw them. She thanked him, and would chew him out when she got back as one of his gifts to her (and her parents) was a paid in full trip a Tropical island getaway. He would be spending time with his own family that holiday season. Which included one werewolf, a metamorphmagus, an escaped 'convict' and a few other members of the Black family. Life was good, and he would be doing what he could to make it better.

 

~NFW~

 

The rest of the year passed mostly without incident, and the Horcrux's were taken care of with no problem what so ever. Harry had confided partially in Dumbledore about knowing what Tom's plan was. Lying just a bit that he had seen it before he removed the Horcrux, he didn't want to tell anyone except maybe Hermione, that he was from the future. The day the normal vision was sent they had planned a nice little ambush for Tom, and it was going to be... fun.

 

Just as he had remembered, Malfoy, Lestrange, Dolohov and a few others showed up. However unlike last time, Harry was alone in the hall of prophecy, to their eyes at least. He reached up to pick the orb from the shelf before he smirked and held his hand back.

 

"Might as well come out, gentleman and crazy psycho." He turned at the soft cackle from said psycho, looking as they appeared from the darkened shelves.

 

"So you are not so... imperceptive, Mr. Potter." Harry turned to see one Lucius Malfoy speaking. "Pick it up... and hand it to us, and we'll make sure you leave here... alive." He heard a barely restrained snicker from the lunatic Bellatrix before smiling.

 

"Hmm... alright." He saw a brief moment of surprise on Lucius' face before he schooled it back. "If you answer a question of mine, is that alright?" Lucius raised an eyebrow and nodded curtly.

 

"Awesome! So, tell me... Lucius, Bella darling." He smirked. "How does it feel to be... poor?" He saw Lucius flinch and Bellatrix scowl. "Hurts, doesn't it?" He reached for the orb then swore. "Damn! That was two questions. Either way, enjoy Azkaban." With that the battle ended before it even began. Unspeakables’ and Aurors came out of disillusionment and from under cloaks, catching the death eaters in their costumes and right in the act of being well... death eaters.

 

Harry made his way to the Atrium and was juggling the prophecy between his two hands when he felt the familiar dark magic of the dark 'lord'. He grinned and glanced over his shoulder, smiling softly.

 

"It was foolish of you to come here, Tom. The Aurors are on their way." He felt a bit bad for stealing Dumbledore’s line, but it was fun to say. Voldemort growled and looked at the prophecy in Harry's hand.

 

"Give it to me, boy, and I will kill you at another time." Harry huffed and gave him a two finger salute before he took out a walther PP, one of James Bond's weapons in days past.

 

"You know, I wonder, just how fast are you Tom." With that he dropped the prophecy and took aim with both hands before letting out three loud cracks from the sidearm he was carrying. Voldemort summoned the prophecy and as it reached his hand he stumbled back from a shot to the chest and two to the head. The expression on his face was priceless to Harry, and he could honestly say he was glad it was so... anticlimactic. He put the gun away and walked over to the body of Voldemort. He watched as he slowly started to disintegrate as his body was a magical construct. He grinned with a cheeky wave as Fudge and his cronies came just in time to see Voldemort's body as it slowly melted away into nothingness.

 

  
"He's back! That's not possible!" Fudge cried, more like whimpered, and Harry scoffed.

 

"He's been back for a year, idiot, you're just not in the business of investigating. Either way, he's dead again. This time for good, won't have any way to come back. Last necromancer was Morgana Le Fey, and she burned all of her stuff before they killed her." He shrugged and then started walking towards Dumbledore who had arrived right behind fudge.

 

"Can I get a portkey to Hogwarts? I'm tired and I want to see my girlfriend before I pass out." Dumbledore chuckled softly and did as was asked of him; he had to stay in the ministry. He shook his head as Harry gave the two finger salute to Fudge before disappearing in a wash of color.

 

~NFW~

 

Harry Potter enjoyed the rest of his year at Hogwarts, breezing through his O.W.L.'s along with Hermione. They would get their results in the summer, but Harry already knew they would be amazing. The summer came and went, along it Harry and Hermione's... innocence, but they had both been ready for that. Harry thought it was the best birthday present he could have ever gotten from her, and made it his business to make her 17th one to remember, but that's another story.

 

The years came and went, and without Voldemort weighing him down he actually managed to have a good, normal life. Well, as normal a life can be for the boy-who-won. There were no more needless deaths, no Hogwarts or Wizarding world in ruin, and his little bookworm continued to blossom into the woman he knew she could be. They grew closer, and eventually married a few years out of Hogwarts. They had kids, but Harry was not about to let her turn into a frumpy little housewife. He preferred to be the cool house husband, and she was perfectly fine with that. It was a good life, and not a single moment was regretted.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Alright, that's my little attempt at the normal time travel stories. Hope it was ok, I kind of teetered away from it towards the end, but I tried to salvage it! Anyway, read, review, enjoy.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: SO, I had this idea while in the shower... it just, popped in there. There will be, once again, a lot Gary Stu in here, or is it just Cliché Powerful!Harry? Either way, here it is. Hope everyone enjoys my brain vomit. 
> 
>  
> 
> AN2: I realize as I open this up to write some more, there are a lot of similarities to my 4th snippet, I apologize about that, but my brain tends to go in the same direction a lot of the time. Either way, here it is.

Snippet #7: Druid Child

 

Petunia Dursley nee Evans, was doing something she vowed never to do again: attempt to contact someone in the magical world. She had a letter in hand that she had worked for six hours on, it was one of the hardest things she ever had to do. She smiled sadly at the still sleeping form of her nephew, but she knew that she had to get this done. There was no way Harry could stay here, not with Vernon being the... bigot he was. She loved the man, but there were some things you couldn't change. She would have loved to take care of her nephew, have him grow up with her Duddkins, but Vernon would never agree to that. Instead, she would send him away. She walked out to her backyard in the middle of the day, most housewives out getting groceries, so she was safe.

 

"Can I get an... owl? I have a letter for a wizard?" She felt foolish asking this, but she was desperate. She had never been told, but she was a squib. The Wizarding world decided that squibs would never need to be told unless they were born to Wizarding families, why get their brains thinking of possibilities for the like. It was because she was a squib that an owl flew down to her and perched harmlessly on her arm. She stroked the feather softly, like she had watched Lily do, and sat on her outside table, letting the owl hop off.

 

"I have a letter here for a Remus Lupin. Please... please take it to him as fast as you can. I only have so many days alone here." She felt foolish talking to an owl, but after a few blinks it nodded and she sighed in relief. She tied the letter to the owl's leg and then watched it fly off. The mail re-direct wards were not up yet, so she had done it just in time. She leaned back and closed her eyes with a sigh before going in to take care of her nephew. She had a week before Vernon and Dudley came back from the American Drill Convention with (she shuddered) her sister-in-law Marge.

 

~DC~

  
Remus Lupin was at the Leaky Cauldron, bottle of fire whiskey in one hand, shot glass in another. He was on his second bottle, working on his way to his third. He needed it, even if right now his budget couldn't handle it. His brothers in all but blood were either dead or terrible backstabbing... mutts. He growled and took another shot. His best friend, Lily, she was gone. Sure, James had been his best mate, and even spent his free time to become and animagus to help him, but Lily... oh she was just the sweetest girl. She was like a sister to him, and she was gone now. He took another shot, anger replaced by sorrow. His pack was down to two... and he didn't even know where his cub was! He looked up when the bottle was taken from his hand by Tom the bartender.

 

"We'll have enough of that now, Remus. Can't be getting drunk, not this early in the day. Besides, you got yourself a letter." He gestured to the owl sitting off to the side, hooting impatiently. Remus blinked and nodded.

 

"Uh... thank you, Tom." The bartender nodded and Remus took out a preserved, dead rat from his coat and gave it to the owl. He carried them just in case, something he learned from Hagrid. He took the letter and the owl flew off. Guess there was no need for a response. He opened it and started to read.

 

  
_Remus,_   
_You may not know me very well, or perhaps at all, I am not sure what my sister told you. My name is Petunia, and you lost your friends, the family they grew into you for you, but I lost my sister. We were so close before... before her last year. I kept in touch with her scarcely, but not like we used to._

  
_As to the reason of this letter, I have what is the very last link to my sister in my home right now, but I cannot for the life of me, take care of him. I want to, god knows I want take care of little Harry, but I just can't. My own son comes first, and my husband would never allow a wizard to grow up in his house. Please, you have to come and take him away. Take him someplace far, I'll sign anything to transfer guardianship to you. After you get this, please come over. I live at Number Four Privet Drive, Little Whining, Surrey._

  
_Hopefully,_   
_Petunia_

 

  
Remus couldn't believe this; his cub was still within his grasp, still safe. He took a deep shuddering breath, to steady himself, and then nodded to himself. He tossed the parchment into the ever glowing fire in the hearth of the Cauldron and nodded to Tom before going to the apparition point and disappearing with a soft ~crack~.

 

~DC~

 

He appeared with barely a sound and made his way towards number four. He knocked softly, in his threadbare, but respectable suit, and the door was opened almost immediately. Petunia was not what you would call a conventional beauty, but she was not a completely horse faced woman. She had slightly red tinged hair like her sister, but her eyes were a startling blue compared to Lily's sparkling Green.

 

"Remus?" Her voice, soft like her sisters, asked. When he nodded she tugged him inside and sighed softly.

 

"Good... good. I have been a wreck all morning." He was about to ask something when he heard a soft, giggling laugh from the living room. Before she could say anything he was gone in a flash, almost as if he had apparated again. Petunia gasped and then heard the even more enthusiastic laughing from the 15 month old baby in the living room. She went to look in and couldn't help but smile at the scene in front of her. Remus was sniffing softly as he held Harry close, Harry playing with his hair and glasses lightly as he was so glad to see a familiar face.

 

"I have all the papers ready, Remus. Sign them, take them, and just... go. Lily told me the goblins don't care about your... problem. You can probably hire someone once a month to watch Harry." Remus was surprised, though he shouldn't have been. With how close Lily had mentioned she had been to Petunia, he should have known she had been told about his affliction.

 

"Our world will never take those papers seriously. They'll take him from me; probably throw me into Azkaban for it too." He snorted and then smiled as Harry rested on his chest, falling asleep as he was comfortable.

 

"Screw them, Remus! This is Harry we are talking about... leave the country. Go talk to the Goblins, they respect and honor my world's laws even more than yours." He nodded and still holding Harry to him went to go sign the papers. He thanked Petunia, and after another tearful goodbye to the boy she would have raised as her son, they left.

 

  
~DC~

 

Remus opted to take mundane transportation to London instead of apparating, he didn't want to hurt Harry or wake him up. The little boy slept all the way to London, and even through getting most of the work done with the Goblins. As it turned out, he was listed as one of the guardians for Harry to go to should the Potters pass away. He not only got legal guardianship in both worlds, though the Wizarding one would strip him of theirs, he also got a lifetime supply of wolfsbane for his 'furry little problem'. He was also put in charge of the Potter vaults, and the goblins would never give that over to the Ministry or anyone else.

 

  
"We need to get out of Britain... any suggestions, account master Grognock?" He asked the goblin of the Potter accounts as they were wrapping up.

 

"Yes, we already have transportation ready for the two of you. Already taken out of the Potter accounts, no need to worry." He waved it off and then started walking with Remus out of the office down one of the hallways. "It is magical in nature, but not nearly as uncomfortable as your wizards’ mode of transportation." He snorted and brought them to a rather new looking mine cart.

 

"It is an hour trip, and half way through you shall pass through a goblin portal to your new destination. It is... extremely expensive." He had a wide toothy grin. "But to the Potters it is but a pittance. Don't worry, it doesn't go... too fast." He snickered softly and Remus nodded as he got into the cart with a lightly fussing Harry.

 

"Safe journey, wolf." Remus nodded and then the cart was off. Not nearly as fast as the normal goblin carts, but it was not exactly slow either. Harry stopped fussing almost immediately and went into a gleeful bit of giggling and laughing. He had a thing for speed, and Remus was happy he could enjoy that.

 

~DC~

  
An hour passed and Remus and Harry shuddered as they went through the portal. It was like passing through a waterfall, without the wetness afterwards. They got out of the cart and were met, but not by goblins’. Remus gasped softly as he saw the female in front of him. She was wearing a traditional Japanese kimono, and she bowed softly, she even chuckled lightly when Remus blurted out in awe.

 

"You're and anthromorph!" She nodded and smiled her vulpine features soft and welcoming.

 

"Yes, I am. My name is Akage, and I am here to be your guide and translator until you learn the language yourself." He nodded and walked with her, Harry fascinated by the walking, talking fox beside them. He couldn't understand what she was saying really, as the words she was using were a tad too advanced for him, but her voice soothing. She was about Remus' height, and much slimmer. The kimono was not tight to her body, but it didn't hang loose so Remus could see just how much of a woman she was.

 

They were taken to an office where everything was finalized, and where Remus was assured that the English ministry would have no legal recourse to have them taken back, or prosecuted by law. They were safe here, and that made Remus smile. They would be living in a magical village of Anthromorphs, and Remus was told he would be safe and welcome there. They understood the affliction of lycanthropy, and he was informed that they could be around him in the full moon without danger to them. They reached their new home, and Remus was happy with it. He would raise Harry to the best of his ability, but they wouldn't be alone.

 

~DC~

 

It was a full three months before Albus Dumbledore realized that his instruments monitoring the Dursley residence were dead. The only one still active was the instrument that showed him the health of Harry Potter. He was quick to go to number four, and was surprised to see the Dursley's were not there. There was a large 'For Sale' sign on the yard and Dumbledore quickly found out they moved not two weeks prior. This was unacceptable! Harry needed to be with his relatives, exactly where he put them. It was for his plans, for the greater good!

 

He was frantic in his search, and eventually found out that the Dursley's moved out to America, apparently Vernon had gotten a promotion and it was much better for him to move than stay with a lower salary. He explained it all in the letter to Petunia, didn't she understand? He also found out that just three of them moved, it meant she had given up Harry Potter. He searched the orphanages, but to no avail. He searched the ministry, but they did not know.. he had one avenue left. He swallowed his pride and went to the goblins. He was taken to the office of the Potter accounts and was seated in a nice, cushy chair as the goblin in charge of said account, Grognock.

 

"What can I do for you, Mr. Dumbledore?" He spoke, in his no nonsense, business tone. Dumbledore smiled, his eyes twinkling merrily, hiding his panicked inner mind.

 

"I was wondering if you knew the location of Mr. Potter. As his magi-" He was cut off by the raised hand of the goblin.

 

"I am afraid you are mistaken, Mr. Dumbledore. You were not a preferred guardian in the Potter will. His magical, and muggle guardian are one in the same, Mr. Dumbledore." He leaned back and held a not so friendly grin. "Is there anything else?" Dumbledore blinked before nodding.

 

"Yes, I must know who his guardian is. They must be protected, you see." Grognock chuckled softly.

 

"Seeing as you do not know where they are, I am sure they are quite protected. I will humor you, though, Mr. Dumbledore. Young Mr. Potter, and his guardian one Remus Lupin, are safe and happy." Dumbledore froze, that was bad. Very, very bad.

 

"I am afraid that cannot be. As unfortunate as it is, Mr. Lupin is a werewolf, and thus cannot care for a magical child." He frowned, looking disappointed, but inside he was feeling relief, until the goblin spoke again... with a tooth filled, smug grin.

 

"Yes... in Great Britain that is correct. However, they are no longer in this country, Mr. Dumbledore. Mr. Lupin has it very well under control. Upon his days of transformation young Mr. Potter is taken care of by certified, respectable people. Not only that, but those same people are in constant contact with the child, so he is familiar with them. While he does not yet understand his guardians affliction, he will... in time. If there is nothing else, I have investments to take care of under Mr. Lupin's request." He sat up, ready to leave.

 

"Remus cannot have control over the Potter accounts, the ministry forbade it." After that he flinched at the growl that came from the goblin.

 

"Do not presume to spout your trivial laws to me, Wizard! Your idiotic ministry signed over the rights for us to care for their gold and wills when you LOST the last rebellion! I am sure you do not want to be the starting catalyst for the next one. Get. Out!" He snarled and then left, after directing a few guards to escort Dumbledore from the building, barely responsive as he learned the truth.

 

Albus Dumbledore was at a loss, but that didn't last long. He quickly called in some favors and found that Harry and Remus were in a secluded village in the countryside of Japan. He made sure that he took care of some things; he wouldn't be gone for long he assumed, and went via international portkey. He was Supreme Mugwump of the ICW, he could make as many as he liked.

 

He landed in the ministry of Japan and found himself quickly brought to a room before an English speaking wizard came to him. A Japanese wizard in a suit came and sat across from the old wizard, putting his hands in front of him on the table and leaning forward.

 

"And what can I do for you, Supreme Mugwump?" He asked in a neutral tone, not at all affected by the grandfatherly persona or the twinkles in his eyes.

 

"Domo Arigato, sir. I have something I would like to take care of before it can become an... International incident." The man did not react except to blink and wait. "There is a werewolf in your country, who has taken a child from his rightful guardians. It would be best for all parties involved if the boy was retrieved and the werewolf put to justice." He did not want to throw Remus under the bus, but it was for the greater good that Harry Potter return to Britain.

 

"And the name of said Werewolf and child, Supreme Mugwump?" He leaned back, hands under his chin as he did so.

 

"Ah! Yes, of course. That would be one Remus John Lupin, and the child is Harry James Potter." He smiled and the man took out his wand and sent a message via patronus charm. It was in the shape of a kitsune and it bounded out of the office. Five minutes or so of just staring at each other later and the door opened to a young lady with a folder. She bowed and gave it to the man before bowing to both and leaving. The man opened the file and looked at it.

 

"It seems everything is legal, Mr. Dumbledore. Mr. Lupin and Mr. Potter are citizens of Japan and Great Britain." He moved some papers and hummed. "They are in the sanctuary of the blessed ones, and are perfectly safe." He closed the file and looked up at the older male. "I see no reason to move them from their current position.

 

"Very well, perhaps I can speak with Remus?" He smiled. All he needed was the location of the place, and he could just portkey in and out with the child. He was already thinking of who to give the child to, perhaps the Weasleys', when the man spoke.

 

"No. You cannot speak with Mr. Lupin. He wishes no contact from those in Britain unless he contacts them first or there are extenuating circumstances." He closed the file and looked at the older man. "Your business in my country is done, Mr. Dumbledore. Please leave." He stood and opened the door. "A portkey has been made for your return." He looked to a Japanese Auror and the man nodded and escorted a confused Dumbledore to the portkey departure room, getting whisked away before he could even register what had happened.

 

  
Dumbledore returned to Hogwarts, to his office, and popped a lemon drop in his mouth. What was going on here, this was... crazy to say the least. He perked up and looked to Fawkes' perch only to see it empty, and he grumbled. The bird had been gone for a few weeks now, he wondered where. He shook his head and started to think, to contemplate and plan. He needed that boy! Being raised with Remus was not a good thing; he wouldn't be the weapon he needed him to be! No! He couldn’t panic. Things would work out, he was sure.

 

~DC~

 

Both Remus and Harry got a surprise for them shortly after Harry's 5th birthday. They were told they had a visitor and into their home came bounding a large, Irish wolfhound and a smiling Akage. Remus was on edge immediately, but Harry was all over the dog in glee. Gasping and laughing at the licking and nuzzling coming from the beast, Remus distracted by the Vixen when she started to speak.

 

"He was exonerated when it was discovered he had not received a trial. The Black family lawyers pushed for it and well..." She gestured to the dog that Remus now knew to be his thought to be traitorous brother, Sirius Black. The dog stepped away from Harry, who was still giggling and then transformed. Harry gasped and looked up at him, eyes brimming ever so lightly with tears.

 

"Padfoot?" The rakish man nodded and then laughed softly as he was impacted by the growing boy. He picked him up and held him tightly, tears of his own down his cheeks before he started outright bawling as Remus hugged him from behind. It was a wonderful reunion, Moony glad that another of his pack had returned to him. Akage smiled and bowed out of their home, letting them catch up.

 

Sirius spoke of visiting as often as he could, he wanted to stay in Britain and keep an eye and ear out for things that might threaten Harry or Remus' safety. Remus was alright with that, and he explained how Harry was learning wand-less and earthen magic. The Anthromorphs had their own magic, and the Japanese culture did as well, he would be a different kid than expected when he went to Hogwarts. IF, he went to Hogwarts. While it was a bit of a sore spot for Sirius, he understood that it would probably be safer if Harry didn't go.

 

~DC~

 

Dumbledore watched the magically automated quill write out names and send out letter for those who would coming to Hogwarts this year. He waited almost impatiently as the names were not written in alphabetical order, but as the new students were felt by the magic of Hogwarts. His deputy, Minerva McGonagall came in after a day of introducing muggleborns to their Wizarding heritage when the quill started writing what he had been waiting for. Five days of waiting, but here it was!

 

Mr. H. Potter  
2nd smallest bedroom.  
House of the pleasant wolf  
Kimotsuki  
Japan

 

  
"Magnificent!" He took the letter before it could be sent off and was surprised when his Deputy snatched it from him. "Minerva?" She looked at the letter and raised an eyebrow.

 

"I was under the impression that he was living with his aunt and uncle, Albus." He smiled softly.

 

"Ah... I forgot to mention it. He is living with Remus Lupin, you remember him don't you?" She nodded and frowned. "Yes, they are living in Japan, where there is no discrimination of werewolves. If I can have that back, Minerva, I will deliver it personally." She raised her eyebrow at him again and shook her head.

 

"I am afraid not, Albus. I will send this with an international owl, while you go to your meeting with the ICW." With that she left to go do just that and he slumped softly, he did have a meeting to get to. He would just have to wait till Sept. 1st to talk with Mr. Potter.

 

~DC~

 

September first dawned bright and cheerful, and the Hogwarts express waited patiently to be filled once again with children and young adults to be whisked away. Harry Potter arrived at exactly 9:30 am, eager to get onto the train and await the journey. He had been in Great Britain for the last two weeks, adjusting to the time zone with his godfather Sirius. They had also taken that time to get Harry's supplies and to help familiarize him with how this magical community did things.

 

Harry smiled remembering that Sirius had (playfully) moaned and complained about getting up so early, but he understood Harry's desire to be there as early as possible. After a hug and a farewell, Sirius left back to his home, no doubt to go back to sleep like the lazy mutt he was. Harry decided to enjoy a little meditation before the children, both young and old, made too much of a ruckus. It was because of his meditative state that he did not notice when his compartment door was opened.

 

The kid who opened it, a first year like herself, gasped at the sight before her. There was nothing surprising at the child sitting in the lotus position, no, what was surprising and startling was that said child had a small, visible aura of magic around them. That and the gnarled staff sitting across said child’s lap was also glowing lightly, as was the emerald on top of it. The child's hair was flowing softly and then their eyes opened and looked at the new child in the doorway. Their eyes looked nearly identical to the emerald on the staff, and their voice was soft and soothing, like a forest in the spring.

 

"Can I help you?" The child spoke, and the young girl smiled besides herself before nodding softly and clearing her throat.

 

"Uhm... I was looking for a compartment, and I don’t' want to sit alone." The glowing child took a deep breath and then their aura and glowing eyes and staff settled.

 

"Please, have a seat then." The girl who was at the door came in and sat down after closing the door, smiling lightly.

 

"Hi, my name is Lavender, who are you?" Lavender got a smile before the child spoke again.

 

"My name is Harry, a pleasure to meet you, Lavender." Said girl smiled at the now identified boy. It had been hard to tell due to his longer hair, his rather ambiguous features, and the fact that he was in his robes already which added to said ambiguity. They talked for about half hour, she had arrived around 10, before more students and their parents started showing up. Harry thought for a moment and then smiled at Lavender.

 

"Would you mind if I let my pet out? I don't want her to be cooped up for the whole trip." Lavender shook her head, not minding at all and saying so. Harry smiled and took out a small figurine, about the size of a chess piece before he tapped it with the emerald on his staff. She yelped in fright and surprise when it expanded almost instantly. Where the figurine sat was now a large badger. Not large in that it was an adult, but large in the fact that it was probably as big as her, maybe larger. The large badger growled at her before looking at Harry and climbing up onto the seat next to him and slumping down as if it owned the place.

 

"Lavender, this is Kogo." He smiled and stroked her head softly as she rested on his lap. "In case you are wondering, it means Empress in Japanese." Kogo snorted softly as if to say 'damn right' and closed her eyes to relax on her master. Her claws were at least 5 inches in length and extremely deadly looking, not to mention her body was heavily muscled. Harry was about to say something to start conversation again when the compartment door was opened up and they both were looking at a gangly looking redhead.

 

"Have either of you seen Harry Potter around here? I've been looking for him for 20 minutes now!" Harry frowned but shook his head, Lavender doing the same. "Well, damn. I guess I will-" He paused as his eyes rested on Kogo. "Bloody hell! What in the bloody hell is that?!" He pointed to the badger and she glared at him before cooing softly at the soothing touch of Harry on her head.

 

"That, as you so rudely put it, is my pet badger. Her name is Kogo." Harry nodded and the redhead huffed softly.

 

"Gunna have to give her back, mate. Only rats, toads or owls are allowed. Good thing too... crikey that bloody thing is huge." He yelped when Kogo growled again and then proceeded to scamper off. Harry shook his head and then the door opened and Harry saw two identical redheads. He blinked softly and thought he was seeing double until they spoke.

 

"So we hear..."

"...Rather concerning really..."

"...That there was a magnificent beast in this compartment...."

"...Magnificent and threatening to our little snot of a brother....

"..Yes, even though he is a git, we can't have that." They finished together and Harry cleared his throat.

  
"And you two are?" Harry asked while petting the large badger who's head was on his lap.

  
"Goodness gracious, Fred! What have we done?" The first one asked.

  
"Why my brother, I do believe we have done goofed." The second one said before bowing dramatically.

  
"This handsome young fellow beside me is one George Weasley, and I am Fred Weasley. Apart we are simply random redheads’." He paused and his brother spoke.

  
"But together. We are the illustrious!"

"Fabulous."

"Devilishly Handsome"

  
"Weasley Twins!" They grinned and for a moment they sparkled before the one named Fred groaned.

  
"Well, bugger. Charm didn't go off properly." They shrugged and plopped on the bench’s. One next to Lavender, the other next to Harry.

 

"So, what's this about threatening our git of a brother?" Asked George, who had sat next to Harry.

 

"I didn't threaten him, Kogo did." He gestured to his pet and Fred cursed.

 

"OK, how did we miss THAT!" He gazed at the slightly agitated badger. "Huh... already got their mascot, you're a shoe-in for Hufflepuff, mate." He stroked his chin and his brother nodded and took over.

 

"Yes, I do agree old bean. I can understand how our brother is a pain in the ass, so, he no doubt agitated your not so little friend there." At this Harry nodded and the twins got up.

  
"That being the case, you're off the hook. See you at the feast, firsties!" They said in unison before bowing and leaving, Lavender speechless as she had been trying to keep up with their double speak.

 

"That was interesting." As he said this the compartment closed, but not before a large toad hopped in. Kogo's eyes latched onto it immediately and she growled in warning before she started to get up.

  
"Kogo, no!" The badger's ears went back, but her eyes did not leave the amphibian. "I doubt it's a random toad, probably belongs to someone. If it is not claimed by the time we get to Hogwarts, you can have it." He hated restricting her, but they were in a different culture and environment now. He would find her someplace she could hunt normally when they got to Hogwarts.

 

Two hours later the compartment door opened again, they were well on their way to Hogwarts now, and in the doorway stood a rather portly looking boy. He looked nervous and was rather twitchy.

 

"E-Excuse me, Have you seen a toad?" He asked with a bit of a stutter. Harry gave Kogo an 'I told you so' look before Harry pointed under Lavender's side of the compartment. "Trevor! What are you doing over here?" He picked up the lightly squirming toad and gestured to him as if scolding a child. "Y-You're lucky that badger was so nice, otherwise I'd have to write to gran." He smiled, seemingly unaffected by the large creature. "Thank you. Oh, My name is Neville Longbottom." He extended his not frog holding hand.

 

"Lavender Brown." She shook Neville's hand first, smiling and causing him to blush lightly.

 

Harry extended his hand and shook it softly. "Harry Potter, a pleasure." The two other occupants of the compartment gasped. "Oh, right... forgot about that." He waved it off softly with a smile. "None of what you read is true... my godfather is working on the legal part of it, but they are dragging their feet." He waved it off again and smiled once more. "Have a seat, Neville, I am sure Lavender wouldn’t mind, would you?" She shook her head and Harry continued. "And I will make sure Kogo won't go after Trevor." Neville looked wary for the barest of moments before sitting down and nodding, putting Trevor in his larger, inner robe pocket.

 

The ride was mostly uneventful, even the cart lady was just a few moments in passing. Kogo was not pleased with having to restrain herself as she saw owls fly outside and the constant scent of the toad just out of her reach. She nuzzled up against Harry with a snort, then a soft, harmless clawing at his chest. He looked at her and nodded before kissing the top of her head and then touching the same spot with his staff, which caused her to shrink back to the figurine.

 

"She was stressing out, so much to eat yet she couldn't touch it." He shook his head softly. "I swear she eats more than she weighs sometimes." He chuckled and Neville looked apprehensive before Harry shook his head. "Don't worry about it, Neville, I’ll let her out into the forest before we get sorted. She'll be fine." He nodded sheepishly before they went back into a comfortable conversation. About an hour left in the ride the door was opened by a young girl, well everyone on this train was young to be exact, who was already in her robes. She looked at the three in the compartment and spoke. Her tone was bossy, but Harry could tell it held the slight quiver of hiding nervousness.

 

"I was wondering if anyone has seen Harry Potter? I... read all about him and I want to talk to him. He should be around Hogwarts age and well he must have some fascinating things to say. I heard he was raised by masters of magic and learned all kinds of fantastic things. Oh! Why are your robes green? Is that what you wear instead of Hogwarts robes? I thought we were only allowed black, that's the only color I got..." And she went on until she yelped ever so slightly as the door behind her closed and she was in the compartment with her fellow firsties.

 

"Sorry! Uhm… I rant when I uhm." She cleared her throat. "My name is Hermione Granger; I am a first generation witch." She held out her hand and Lavender shook it, as did Neville, but she blushed ever so slightly when Harry took her hand and gave her knuckles a soft grazing of his lips.

 

"A pleasure to meet you, Hermione. This is Neville." Said boy smiled and waved politely. "This is Lavender." She smiled and waved the same. "And I am Harry. Coincidentally, the Harry you are looking for." She gasped and he patted the spot next to her.

  
"Let’s see if I can go through what you said in order." She blushed and he smiled kindly. "Everything you read is almost completely a lie, and was written without me or my guardian’s permission." She looked affronted but he continued. "I wasn't raised by masters of magic’s, but I was fortunate to be taught by some. My robes are green because where I live I am a Druid in training. My master says that I will have access to grand magic’s when the time is right, but he is very cryptic about such things. I got special permission to wear these robes because of the way I was raised." He hummed softly. "That about covers everything, don't you think?" He smiled and she nodded.

 

"So, tell us about yourself Hermione." He smiled and the other two leaned in a bit, as if studying her but it was all friendly. She went into another rant about her life, how she was surprised she was a witch and the like, and it was all very relieving to be able to talk without someone telling her to bugger off. The rest of the ride was spent like that, the others already in their robes, so there was no need to bother with that.

 

~DC~

 

They got off the train with little fuss, and though she was still fascinated by him, she was a lot more reserved standing around THE Harry Potter. She had asked about his staff and he simply told her that he had never learned to use a wand; his masters said it weakened a wizard, and druid's power. While he didn't need it to walk, he enjoyed using the staff as a walking stick. It made him seem wise, and his masters always teased him about that, but he knew it was all in good fun.

 

They took the boat ride that was traditional for first years, and Harry inhaled sharply when they passed the wards that covered the grounds and a portion of the village of Hogsmeade. He held his chest softly as he felt the power, the sheer magnitude of magic that radiated from the wards. He could only imagine how the castle itself felt, he wondered if he'd be able to keep himself from passing out. As they got out of the boats Harry held in a giggle of delight at feeling the soft ground under his feet, and the magic that saturated it. His robes were long enough to mask it, but he had no shoes on. He had not worn shoes in quite some time; he loved feeling different types of material and the like under his feet.

 

Harry walked with the rest of the first years up towards the castle, and slowed down as he got closer. To the point that he was the last one to enter the castle. He took a deep breath, having felt the magic that rolled off of the castle get stronger as he got closer. He took another deep breath and walked into the doors, and exhaled when he was not bombarded by raw magic. Instead it was like he was taken into the warm, loving embrace of his mother. He knew his biological mother, Lily Potter, loved him and was no doubt watching him from beyond, but he meant his adopted mother, Akage. She had taken to him and Remus for that matter, quickly after they arrived. Not only did she not have a problem with Remus being a werewolf, but she loved the thought of having a family of her own. It was also through her that Harry realized he was to be a druid.

 

As Harry walked behind the larger group of first years he couldn't help but hold his hand not on this staff against the castle wall. Everyone felt cold for the most part in the drafty castle, but Harry felt warmth. Complete, comfortable, encompassing warmth. He closed his eyes and sighed, he magic of the castle so welcoming, so loving. He felt the castle try and communicate with him, but it was blocked somehow. That made Harry frown, but he would deal with it when he could. Right now they were being lead into the great hall for their sorting.

 

~DC~

 

Finally, after nearly a decade of waiting, the sorting would take place. Dumbledore smiled at this thought, his weapon would be within his grasp. There was one thing troubling him though as they entered, he was not with Weasley, or Granger. She had been harder to convince, but her love of authority figures changed that quickly. Though it seemed that had changed on the train ride. Another troubling thing was that the wards of the castle seemed to sing, as if they were welcoming a long lost child. He shrugged that off, it was probably just the larger number of first years or something. He sat up as Minerva started the sorting. Eagerly awaiting the hats proclamation of the house of Lions for the boy-who-lived.

 

~DC~

 

The sorting started as it did every year, the sorting hat singing merrily, more so than usual, and then the names were called. Harry watched as his friend Lavender went to Gryffindor, with Hermione joining soon after. He listened as Neville also went to Gryffindor, and then a boy named Malfoy went straight into Slytherin with the hat barely touching his head. It went down the M's, then the N's, and well into the P's. The Patil sisters were split between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor, a Sally-Anne Perks went to Hufflepuff and then finally:

 

"Potter, Harry!" The deputy headmistress called out, and Harry smiled as he walked up. The whispers about him were interesting, and rather amusing, but he tuned them out. He bowed gently to the older woman and sat on the stool, had placed on his head as he held his staff between his legs with both hands. The voice in his head not surprising him in the slightest.

 

"Ah, a druid! It has been so long since one with your magic’s came into this castle. While I believe the last one was Arch Druid Shando Stormrage! Yes, nearly five hundred years ago. Ah, he was in touch with the magic of this earth, but not like one born here. Not quite like you..." The hat's voice trailed, almost as if it was tugged away and Harry did giggle as he heard a very female, very loving and enthusiastic voice.

 

"Harry Potter! Oh! Yes, I have been waiting for you! Goodness me. Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Moira, but everyone else knows me as Hogwarts. It’s been so long since I could talk to someone, let alone a druid! You-" She paused and huffed as it seemed she was shuffled to the side.

  
"Rather rude, Moira. I was trying to sort the boy!" Came the agitated, but playfully so, voice of the sorting hat.

  
"Aibne, you talk to and sort countless children, I barely talk to the Phoenix when he isn't busy preening himself!" She huffed and the hat chuckled.

 

"Just give him the wards and be done with it, you can talk to him all you want after." Moira grumbled good-naturedly but seemed to nod.

 

"Very well, you shall have the wards when you are sorted. Get on it with, Aibne, I want to talk with Harry more!" She seemed like an eager teenager, but Harry knew it was because of her lack of communication over the years.

 

"Hmm... now, as I was saying, before I was so rudely interrupted." There was a muffled huff before he went on. "You are unique, and you are destined for great things. Brave enough for Gryffindor, yet cunning for Slytherin. Your intellect will only grow, especially with Moira on our side, but you value hard work. Hmm... There is only one place for you. Yes... Better be..." The hat took a deep 'breath'

 

"All-house!" It yelled out to the great hall, making it silent. Harry smiled and then got off the stool, one last comment in his head before the hat was removed. "The wards shall be given to as you sleep, enjoy the feast, young druid." He put the hat on the stool and then put a finger on his chin.

  
"Ah!" He went over to where his three train-mates were sitting and plopped next to them. "Hey guys, how's it going?" He smiled and Lavender giggled and shook her head. The rest of the sorting went without much incident, unless you counted the near senile warning of the headmaster. The feast began and Harry smiled at the different available things to enjoy. Contrary to popular belief, druids were not vegetarians. They enjoyed all forms of food, as long as they returned something to nature afterwards. Harry would do just that after the wards were his, but for now he would just enjoy the meal.

 

They were lead to the Gryffindor tower before going in after the password (Caput Draconis) was spoken. Harry sighed softly as he looked around; he had seen this room in memories from his godfathers. He was, as well as the rest of the first year boys, to his dorm where he picked the bed right next to the window. He grinned and opened it wide, taking in the fresh forest air and sighing. This was going to be great, he just knew it. Harry was setting up his bed when he got a tap on the shoulder. He turned to see the Weasley from the train ride, the younger one that is, frowning at him.

 

"Why didn't you tell me you were Harry Potter on the train?!" He asked, rather vexed, Harry just smiled at him.

 

"You asked if we had seen him, I responded truthfully. I had not seen myself, so I couldn't tell you I had." He smiled and the boy shook his head and extended his hand.

 

"We all make mistakes. Anyway, the name's Ron. Ron Weasley, we're going to be best mates you and me." He grinned and then grinned even wider when Harry shook his hand.

 

"I hope to be best mates with everyone I meet. I do enjoy making friends." He smiled and then got into bed, waving his staff over the window so that the cold air didn't bother the rest of his dorm mates. He got into bed after stripping completely, the sheets changed to a warm set of furs before he snuggled in for the first night of being in his new home.

 

~DC~

 

September 2nd dawned bright and cheerful, just like the day prior. For those who were new to Hogwarts it was a new experience. For those who knew the castle it was returning to a nice set of normalcy. There were, however, a few hiccups.

 

For McGonagall she was confused as to what schedule to give to Harry Potter. Sure, he had seated himself at her table, but the hat said he was in all houses, would that mean he could take any class he so desired? She asked the Headmaster, and he simply told her that he was a Gryffindor, he chose it when he sat at her table.

 

Severus Snape was also in a quandary. The Potter spawn did not show up arrogant, or with any delusions of grandeur. He seemed to be pleasant to everyone, and he had nothing but a smile on his face. He wanted to hate him, but he looked very little like his father. For that matter he looked little like Lily as well, though her eyes were gifted to the boy. He would watch him... yes, he would.

 

Dumbledore, by far, was having a rather... cumbersome morning. First he couldn't find his favorite pair of socks, and his lemon drops were almost completely gone. He hoped he could buy some more, they were impossible to find in the magical world, he needed to get them from the muggle one. As he got more into his morning routine he noticed something extra that was off. Only this was not a small thing... it was rather large. The wards... they were gone. No, not gone, just taken from him. He had just put on his robes for the day when he noticed that. He ran into his office and looked at the instruments that were a sign of the wards and they were puffing along as if nothing changed. He turned to the voice of the sorting hat as it spoke.

 

"You remain headmaster, but the wards are no longer yours to deal with, Albus." Dumbledore paled softly.

 

"Who has them, Hat? I must Kn-" He paused and thought, there was only one person. Well, two really, but one was currently indisposed. "Mr. Potter..." He trailed and the hat chuckled.

 

"You are correct, though he did not take them from you, they were given to him." Here Dumbledore gasped and the hat 'nodded'. "Oh yes, the castle has chosen him for her champion and beacon. You would do well to remember that upon interacting with him." It went dormant again, and Dumbledore was thinking heavily, so many plans had to be changed. He was about to leave when the hat spoke again.

 

"And I sorted him to all houses, Albus. Remember that as well, he is no normal student." The hat went dormant again and Dumbledore left his office, contemplating.

 

~DC~

 

Harry decided, on his first day of being a student, that he would sit at the Hufflepuff table. Why not? His pet was their mascot, and he did want to make new friends. He sat at the table and then frowned in thought before getting up again. The 'Puffs looked at him confused before he went to speak with Prof. McGonagall and Sprout.

 

"Excuse me, Ma’am’s?" They were sitting right next to each other. Prof. Sprout beaming at him and Prof. McGonagall nodding politely.

 

"I was wondering if I could let my pet out to eat beside me. She is very well trained, and would never hurt anyone who did not mean me harm." Prof. McGonagall raised an eyebrow and spoke in a crisp, no nonsense manner.

 

"Is this pet of yours venomous, or poisonous Mr. Potter?" A shake of his head had her continuing. "Is this pet of yours exceptionally large?" Harry paused and spoke.

 

"Uhm... she's about, five feet long, about a foot and a half tall, and weighs about 18 stone." Prof. Sprout gasped softly.

 

"My goodness! I must see her anyway! Please, show me! She sounds magnificent." Prof. McGonagall held back a sigh; sometimes Pomona was just as bad as Hagrid. Harry nodded and took out a figurine before he put it on the ground and waved his hand over it. It changed from the small figurine back to its normal form. Kogo snorted and shivered before looking around. She looked up and, much like a dog, perched herself up on Harry's shoulders, nuzzling his cheek softly.

 

"Her name is Kogo." He stroked her back softly and she looked at the two elder female humans looking at her.

 

"My goodness... she's a badger! No.. no, a Dire Badger." Harry nodded and then she went back to the floor, sniffing around before wriggling in wait as she slightly growled in hunger.

 

"May I? Like I said, she wouldn't hurt anyone who isn't going to hurt me. Even then, she'll be more likely to scare them than harm them. She doesn’t like hurting people if she doesn't have to." Kogo nodded and McGonagall thought about it before nodding.

 

"Very well, Mr. Potter. But if she causes and harm..." She left the threat hang and he nodded. Thanking them two witches before going back to sit down. The 'Puffs were divided in reactions to this. One part of them were scared of the large creature, while another was very much interested. There was also the part that was more interested in the fact that Harry Potter was sitting at their table. Either way, Harry talked brightly with anyone and everyone he could talk to without yelling down the table. Kogo, meanwhile, gorged herself (with surprisingly good table manners for a creature) on every kind of meat, fruit and veggie in front of her.

 

About half way into breakfast Harry blinked as he saw a shadow loom over him from behind. He turned to see prof. McGonagall, and he smiled.

 

"What can I do for you, professor?" He turned to look at her, he had to be polite after all.

 

"I seem to have a bit of a problem, Mr. Potter. The hat sorted you into all houses, so what class schedule am I to give you?" Harry tilted his head and then blinked after a moment of thinking.

 

"Why not just give me the schedules for all first year classes, and depending on where I sit that day I use the appropriate schedule?" Prof. McGonagall blinked, that... actually wasn't a bad idea. She nodded and gave him one of each schedule before walking away. He looked down at his schedule and gasped in delight.

 

"What is it, Harry?" 4th year Hufflepuff Cedric Diggory asked him, curious.

 

"Herbology is first! Oh, I do love my plants... A shame I can't take Care of Magical Creatures until 3rd year. Animals are awesome." He chuckled and then after a bit more to eat he went off to where his trunk was this week and get his books for the day. He then went outside into the cool September morning and sighed again in delight. So much magic around him, and the forest was RIGHT THERE! Oh it was bliss. He was going to love Hogwarts, he knew it!

 

~DC~

 

Harry had been right, Herbology had been amazing. The greenhouses were right next to the forest, and Harry was in touch with all of that magic. The plants around him seemed to try and reach out to him, and at first Prof. Sprout was concerned, until he stroked the plants and they seemed to grow and relax afterwards. His fellow first years were surprised but he just smiled and waved it off. Even though at the end of the class he had some blossoms on his head from a particularly friendly plant.

 

He got some snickers and insults slung at him about the flowers, but he didn't care. So what if they were pink, they looked nice on him. He gave his professor a similar crown made out of blue flowers, she preferred that color, and then went onto his next class: History of Magic. At least... that was supposed to be the class. It seems Moira had taken the liberty of Banishing prof. Binns, seeing as he was useless, and had sent out something to the Daily Prophet to get a new History teacher.

 

So, instead, he spent the class getting to know his fellow students even more. He shared the class with Ravenclaws today, so why not make some more new friends? The class after that was Transfiguration, and he surprised the Gryffindors and the Hufflepuffs when he went up to the cat at the front of the class and started petting her. She purred heavily at this and even let him caress her belly and really get into giving her that much needed relaxation. It seemed Harry just had a way with animals, he explained it was how druids were.

 

The cat had left the classroom and shortly after a rather flushed looking Transfiguration professor came in, and she had a soft glower for Mr. Druid. He just smiled at her and waved softly, giving her a gentle wink when no-one else was looking. The class was informative, but fun in its own way. They turned matchsticks into needles and as Harry was about to do his the professor came up to him.

 

"Mr. Potter, where is your wand?" Harry blinked and looked at her, smiling as the class stopped.

 

"I don't have one, Professor. I don't use wands." He showed her the staff he had been about to pick up.

 

"Mr. Potter, there has not been a staff user since Merlin. It takes a serious level of control and po-" She stopped when he picked it up and waved it over the matchstick, transforming it into a needle flawlessly.

 

"Druids have been using staves for thousands of years, Professor. It is our focus, wands are... too frail for earthen magic." He smiled, not being condescending or rude, but just speaking straight truth.

 

"I... see. My apologies, Mr. Potter. Ten points to..." She paused again and Harry shrugged.

 

"All houses?" He grinned and she nodded, doing just that. Slytherin and Ravenclaw would wonder later where the random ten points came from.

 

The class went on from there with very little excitement after that, and then he was off to potions. He had heard horror stories from older years, but he wouldn't believe such a thing. He was waiting in the Potions classroom when he was approached by a blonde haired boy. It seemed that he shared class with the Slytherins, at least today.

 

"Hello, Potter. The name is Draco Malfoy. I contemplated looking for you on the train, but I wanted to see if you would wise up and look for me first." He used a rather haughty voice and Harry chuckled softly.

  
"Why would I want to look for someone, who until now, I did not know wanted to see me?" He smiled, Draco flushing lightly in agitation.

 

"I am Draco Malfoy! Scion of house Malfoy, how did you now know I was looking for you?" He sneered, getting to the volume level of a spoiled child.

  
Harry shrugged and then blinked. "I didn't ask around. You should sit; by the way, the professor is coming." Draco was about to snap back when the door slammed open and Severus Snape, potions master, potions professor, came in. Cloak billowing behind him as he did so. He was about to speak when he saw Draco standing next to Harry.

 

"Mr. Malfoy, what exactly are you doing standing next to Mr. Potter?" Draco stammered something incoherent and then went to his desk. Snape came in and made a speech about the importance of potions and the lack of magic needed in this class before he looked over to Harry.

 

"Aah... Mr. Potter. Our new, Celebrity." He sneered and wanted to snarl as Harry just smiled. "Tell me, what is the proper way to prepare knotgrass when used in Polyjuice potion?" Harry lost his smile for a moment before he got a little help from an agitated Hogwarts. He learned not only the answer, but the fact that it was a 6th year potion.

 

"Well, Professor, you have to make sure you have exactly 12 blades of the grass. It is not to be prepared in anyway; however the blades must be put in all at the same time. Usually vertically." Professor Snape sneered and huffed.

 

"Lucky guess, Mr. Potter. Tell me, how long does it take to brew Liquid Luck?" Harry, once again, got help from Hogwarts as it was a mastery level potion.

 

"6 Months, sir, and everything must be perfect or it could explode." Snape actually growled before he was right in front of Harry's desk.

 

"Very well, Mr. Potter. Try this one: What potion, when completed properly, has a mother of pearl sheen and spiraling steam?" Harry looked up, still smiling but it was the innocent kind.

 

"Amortentia, sir. Probably one of the deadliest potions known to this country." Snape snarled and turned around, not bothering to award points. Hogwarts did it for him though, giving all houses 25 points for answering the questions. Even though she did it, Snape was a bit of an arse asking such difficult questions.

 

"Instructions are on the board! You have one hour. Begin!" He waved his wand and the instructions did appear, but he did nothing else. Harry shrugged, and with the help of an entity that had watched the most potent masters ever to grace Britain, started to brew a perfect boil cure potion. It was so perfect, in fact, that Snape had to begrudgingly give the boy an 'O' for the assignment. Perhaps he was not his father. He wasn't even Lily... he was, Harry. Severus would have to think on this.

 

~DC~

 

Harry hummed as he walked down the corridors of the castle in the night, enjoying the sweet silence. He was going around the 3rd floor corridor when he heard a soft, pitiful whimper and whine. It made him upset to hear such a thing, and he went to investigate. Hogwarts was 'sleeping' right now, so he wouldn't wake her. He wondered if there was a way to give her a tangible form. Either way, he had a noise to investigate. He went to the door where the soft whining was coming from and opened it with a tap of his staff. The door opened and then he heard a low growling from within. He looked inside to see a large, three headed dog.

 

"Oh my, you poor thing." He stepped into the room and the dog growled before sniffing softly and coming down to give him a few nuzzles and licks. Harry patted each head softly and smiled. "I bet you're hungry, aren't you girl? Of course you are. Come on, let's get you something to eat." With that he gently tapped the large dog with his staff and shrank it to about Kogo's size. He then let Kogo from her figurine status and watched the two of them bound around each other like puppies.

 

He took the two of them to the kitchens, he had found it thanks to some helpful elves who he had a six hour conversation with and missed most of his classes one day. He opened the door and the elves stopped before going back to their business. He was a frequent visitor so they got used to him. One of the elves who was not currently doing anything of extreme importance got the dog, the badger, and the child some things to eat. The three were very grateful, and Harry wondered who the dog belonged to. He was told by a roused Hogwarts; she had been alerted to him opening the door, that the dog's name as Fluffy and it belonged to the Half-giant groundskeeper, Hagrid.

 

He apologized for waking her, and with a semi sleepy voice she told him it was problem and she removed the rest of the protections and put the stone in his trunk. She told him of this and he said he would send it home to keep it safe. Harry was starting to like Hogwarts more and more. He wasn't naive to think this was all normal, but it was exciting and new.

 

~DC~

 

Sooner rather than later, it was October 31st, and the school was enjoying a large feast as was the norm. Harry was sitting at the Slytherin table when the doors burst open, Prof. Quirrel coming in stumbling.

 

"T-Troll! Troll in the dungeon!" He paused and blinked. "Thought you ought to know." With that he collapsed in a heap, the student body losing their minds in fear until Dumbledore quieted the hall with a well-placed 'Silence!' with the help of a small amplification charm.

 

"Prefects, take the children to their dorms. We shall deal with this." He was about to say something else’s when there was a loud knocking on the floor from the staff of Harry Potter, and then the doors leading outside of the great hall sealed shut with a loud, squelching noise before four, brand new doors appeared, each with a crest to the appropriate house.

 

"Prefects, the doors to the dorms are now open in a much safer way." Harry spoke, and it was decided to listen to the boy-who-was-a-Druid as the students exited through the new doors. When they were all gone he went up to Quirrel and tapped him a few times on his side. "Get up, no one believes you're passed out." Snape was about to make a comment when Quirrel rose with a soft scowl.

 

"Hogwarts tells me you're not who you seem to be. I don't care about that... but she did tell me that you are a danger to the students. I can't have that. You have one chance to leave." An archway opened, leading outside. "The troll you let in is already in the forest. What is it going to be, Tom?" Dumbledore froze, his suspicions and the Hat’s words proven correct, Harry held the wards.

 

"You cannot be rid of me that easily, boy!" A voice hissed from behind the turban and Harry sighed before the staff's emerald started to glow bright and then with quickness no adults present were expecting Harry lashed out and hit Quirrel in the chest with the top of the staff, sending him and his parasite out of the opened archway and out of the wards. Hogwarts would tell him later, but she banished the spirit to the abyss before Quirrel made it out of the wards. He smiled softly to himself when Hogwarts wrapped her magic around him in a sweet embrace, and then he turned.

 

"Lipsy?" A soft ~pop~ was heard and the Hogwarts head elf appeared, smiling up at Hogwarts' champion.

 

"What can Lipsy be doing for you?" Harry first kneeled and gave her a hug before he spoke.

  
"The feast in the hall has been cancelled, but that doesn't mean the students should go hungry. Could you have the elves serve them in their dorms?" Lipsy gasped at the feast being cancelled, but was quick to agree. She left with a softer ~pop~ and Harry turned to the staff who were either talking amongst themselves or staring at Harry in shock.

 

"Shall we have a discussion, Professors?" He smiled and the head table shifted so it was round and Harry was at one end, while Dumbledore at the other.

 

  
"Harry, my boy." Dumbledore spoke first. "Am I to understand you... have the wards under your control?" Harry nodded with a smile. "Ah, I see. Seeing as you are a student, I must insist you return them to me, as they should be." He smiled grandfatherly, not liking that the wards were under the control of his weapon.

 

"Oh, I am afraid I can't do that, Headmaster." He smiled, and then continued to explain. "Moira, you know her as Hogwarts, gave them to me, I am not about to return her gift to someone she finds un-worthy." He blinked and then nodded, eyes glowing a swirl of the four house colors before a more feminine voice spoke.

 

"And you are definitely no longer worthy, Albus." The voice of Hogwarts spoke. "I have chosen Harry here, as he is a druid of the earth. My magic is connected to the earth, so in kind he is more connected to me and my magic. Should he desire, the wards shall be returned to someone worthy over the summer, as he will no doubt wish to return home." Hogwarts sounded... sad about this, but she understood. "I trust there are no complications? Wonderful!" With that Harry shook his head softly and smiled.

 

"Well, the Lady Hogwarts has spoken." He gasped in delight when food appeared for the adults and he, and went happily back to enjoying the meal. The table of gob smacked adults not fazing him in anyway.

  
~DC~

 

The rest of the year, hell, the rest of Harry's time at Hogwarts was marginally uneventful. With control of the wards, and warnings and notifications from Hogwarts herself, many things were prevented. She stopped a dark, soul infested book from entering her wards, and went about destroying it along with something similar right in her walls. Third year, after yet another new DADA teacher had gone the previous year, Harry was asked to remove a curse that had been woven into her wards. Harry was more than happy to do that, and there was a new, permanent teacher in Sirius Black starting that year.

 

There was supposed to be a tournament on the fourth year, but Hogwarts was adamantly against it, as was her champion when she explained it. Fifth year was uneventful as well, though Sixth year came with something interesting. On Halloween the students of Hogwarts bore witness to one Harry Potter falling to his knees in pain while walking to the table to eat. He stood up shakily and then raised his staff in the air and slammed it down with a thunderous force on the great halls' floor.

 

"All students, to your dorms! The wards are being attacked... and I must deal with it." There was a loud outcry of panic and then the students silenced when they heard the voice of Harry Potter, loud and... Angry. For the first time since he had been in these walls. "Do it now! Your safety is paramount!" The students then filed into the doors that opened like back in his first year, and he started walking out of the hall.

 

He got outside and saw a large, rather menacing army knocking at his and Hogwarts wards. He snarled softly, yet another thing he had not been seen doing in his time at Hogwarts. The professors came up behind him and it was, unsurprisingly, Dumbledore that spoke.

 

"Harry, my boy, get inside. We shall deal with this." He raised his wand ready and Harry scoffed.

 

"No, you shall not. I shall deal with this." The professors saw the wards visibly bend and weaken for a moment as Harry drew magic from them, but Hogwarts had given him permission. He raised his staff into the air and started to swirl it around in a counter clockwise manner over his head. When a small twister formed over his head and staff he slammed said staff down and the twister expanded. His eyes were glowing, but not their normal beautiful emerald. Instead they were a deep, forest green, filled with magic and power.

 

Harry watched the tornado he had created from the twister start to pick up the assembled army and carry them closer and closer to the forest. Dumbledore tried to stop Harry, but he was held back by McGonagall, and surprisingly, Snape. When the army was in the forest the twister put them down only for them to be restrained by the trees and other various plans in the forest. It was no longer a forbidden forest, and often students could be seen enjoying its greenery. Harry, in his 4th year, had cleared out the spiders and other extremely dangerous creatures and sent them to better spots.

 

Once the tornado was gone, and the skies clear, Harry stepped and was swallowed up by the ground, only to appear where everyone who was restrained was. The professors made their way over to Harry as he seemed to be scolding someone, rather heavily. They had their wands drawn in alert when they got closer to see Harry waving his staff in gesture to the rather indisposed, and surly looking 'lord' Voldemort.

 

"...and another thing, Tom, I am tired of you sending your flunkies here in the guise of animals, or other people. It's almost like you think me, or Moira, is stupid! We can feel the ill intent, it’s part of our magic." He sighed and then blinked softly before frowning and talking off to the side. "Are you sure, sweetheart?" The professors knew he was talking to Moira; it was something he did often. He sighed and nodded, before turning to Voldemort.

 

"Sorry, Tom, Moira says you have to go. Permanently this time." They saw his face... and it held fear. Hogwarts was known for its power, and with a catalyst there in Harry, it had a channel for said magic. Harry came forward and patted Voldemort on the cheek, comfortingly.

 

"I am afraid it might hurt, I apologize." He then spoke to the professors behind him. "Someone might want to bind Severus, he will also feel pain." Snape looked at McGonagall and she put him in a body bind and set him softly on the ground. With a few waves of his staff, and some muttered ancient language Harry started to weave the magic that would remove the blight known as Voldemort from this world. He nodded softly to Prof. Flitwick when he threw up a wide area silencing ward with Dumbledore, and then Voldemort screamed silently as magic took apart his constructed body. It didn't last long, and soon he was no more. Then the other screams came as the marks were magically torn from the bodies of the death eaters Tom had brought.

 

Severus' eyes were wide and they were filled with tears with the pain that ran through him, but thankfully that was also short lived. He passed out, however, and was rushed to the Hospital wing while the other death eaters were put in the dungeons. He turned to Dumbledore and the others before bowing.

 

"Thank you for your assistance. Now, the students are allowed to leave their beds, and I shall start the rehabilitation of our prisoners." With that he vanished into the ground, to appear at the gates and then he walked in. It had been exciting, but there was no extreme battle, there were no losses, and Harry would start to redeem the ones help captive. What more could Dumbledore want? Though, he felt hollow because of it for some reason.

 

~Epilogue~

  
Harry actually succeeded in rehabilitating about ninety percent of the prisoners, and it took him about a year to do so. That was between classes and the like. He spent his holidays working on them as well, even the summer (much to the delight of Moira). Harry loved the castle, like a child would a mother, and decided to finish his training in her forest, and make it his home. For generations after his own, all would see a large, beautiful tree far larger than the rest, coming from the center of the forest. He became one with the forest, and transcended to one of elven kind, to further bless the forest and Moira with his magic and presence. He had a portal for loved ones who lived far away, and was often seen in the halls of the large school, greeting everyone, with always a smile on his face.

 

He never married, or even had a relationship, but he adopted many orphaned children, and had friends a plenty, and that was fine with him. As he looked out from the top of his tree, he smiled and sighed, then he turned and went to the training room in his home, he had a slew of new apprentices he needed to train. Who knew? Maybe one of them would take his place someday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: Well, there we go! Hope it is alright, I know there is a bit to read, but not quite as much as the previously larger chapter. As always, Read, review, enjoy!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A Merry Christmas to everyone that celebrates it, and a joyful holiday season to everyone who celebrates anything else!

Snippet #25: Good Old Saint Nick

  
Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore was in a good mood, especially given the time of year that it was. It was December 24th, the day before Christmas, and it had been a very fine year. He had some bills passed through the Wizengamot that were rather good for him, and those around him. He was the leader of the light, and he knew what was best for the Wizarding world. He tipped his glass of fine, muggle brandy and took a sip just as the clock struck 12. He sighed and leaned back, sure he should be asleep, but he loved to welcome the new day every year, a nice tradition he had since he was a wee child, from when he still believed in what all children did.

  
He finished his brandy at around 12:30am, and he was about to head to bed when several, very important, silver instruments started going berserk. He rushed over to the shelf they were on and frowned deeply, this wouldn't do! No, what was going on? The wards... they were getting tested, forced into. Was Tom back already? Was he exacting his revenge on the last remaining Potter? Dumbledore did not want to waste time waiting to find out, and with his wand in hand, and cloak hugged tightly around him he vanished with a louder than normal ~crack~ from his office.

  
~GOSN~

  
Dumbledore arrived on the silent street of Privet Drive; it was the dead of night so he did not expect anyone to be awake. He made his way to the house where the wards rested, #4, and took his wand out. He felt the wards still there, though they were fading, and that was far from good. He entered the house with a silent spell and listened around. Not a creature was stirring... not even a mouse. He was about to raise his wand to cast some spells when he did hear something! It came from the living room, it was soft, a mumbling really, but he heard it. He made his way over and blinked at what he saw, astonished really.

  
A man, round as he was jolly, sat in an equally large chair. Sitting across from him was none other than Harry Potter, and he was sitting with the happiest grin on his face. The man was adorned in a red suit with white fluff trimming, the equally red and fluffed hat on his head one of the trademarks of the visage. He was speaking with a bit of joy in his voice, his cheeks rosy and teeth pearly white. His eyes twinkled, and for a moment Dumbledore felt insanely Jealous at how spectacular it was! He cleared his head and then his throat softly. Both figures turned to him, the child tilting his head in confusion.

  
"And whom, might I ask, are you, good sir?" Dumbledore asked in his grandfatherly tone, getting a slightly disappointed chuckle from the suited man.

  
"Dear, dear Albus. A shame on you, really, but alas... you are well on in your years. You, of course, do not recognize me." He spoke softly, and once again Dumbledore was jealous at the tone of voice he often used being thrown back at him tenfold. "However... Harry here knows, don't you Harry?" He grinned and spoke to the child, who nodded enthusiastically, a smile on his face. "Well, why don't you tell your guest who I am, hmm?" He chuckled softly, a set of three short 'ho. ho. ho's" under his breath.

  
"He's SANTA!" Exclaimed the young Harry Potter, grinning from ear to ear. "He's here to give me presents! I have been a good boy this year." He squirmed in his seat, so excited! What five year old child wouldn't be?

  
"Santa, my good man? Surely, you would not abuse the trust and mind of a child?" Dumbledore spoke, sighing as if disappointed. All he got in return was a chuckle from the other man.

  
"Ah, a shame that those who age forget how to believe. I am truly Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Pere Noel, Babbo Natale, The man in the big red suit, with matching belly." He chuckled, those signature 'ho's' again, belly wobbling as if filled with jelly. Albus drew his wand and was surprised to speechlessness when a soft snap from the large man had the wand soaring into his hand.

  
"Now, now, Albus. You should know better!" He chastised, and Dumbledore felt ashamed. "You, of all people, should remember just how much magic is in the hands of one such as myself. Now, where were we?" He turned to the smiling Harry. "Ah, yes! Tell me, little man, what do you want for Christmas?" He grinned, asking Harry the question, and then leaning back and patting his knee. Harry gasped but was quick to scramble up and sit on the offered knee.

  
"Will... will I get it if I ask?" The young, now nervous, child asked. With a smile, and a definite nod from Kris Kringle, Harry spoke. "I, uhm.. if it's ok, I'd like a good family." He wriggled and wrung his hands together. "T-The Dursley’s don't really like me that much, and my cupboard is getting smaller because I’m getting bigger." He frowned but then looked up hopefully at Santa. The man, for all he was worth, had a smile on his face. Yet, in his heart he felt sadness, for this young child... and anger for the man in the doorway.

  
"Well, what kind of Santa would I be if I denied such a wonderful child, hmm? You've been good all year, Harry, and you earned your gift. I am afraid it's the only one I can give you though, I hope you don't mind." He spoke gently, and Harry shook his head vehemently. He was going to get a family! That was all he ever wanted!

  
"Good then. Now, I know it's late, and it's way past your bedtime... but I have something for you." He put a finger to his lips as if it was a big secret, and then gave Harry a Christmas cookie, it was a reindeer and Harry gasped softly. "Go on, eat it." He smiled as Harry bit into it, savoring the sweet as if he had never gotten one before, and in truth he never had. He ate it quickly, but enjoyed it nonetheless. It was not a minute later that he was sleeping against the large, red suited man.

  
"Now, Albus." He turned to the man who dared not move, as he had no wand, and spoke. "I will be taking young Mr. Potter here. He will be raised in a good home. He will be happy, healthy, and most important of all... loved." Santa spoke, finality in his voice as he did so, not liking the frown on Dumbledore's face.

  
"I am afraid I cannot allow that, my good sir. There are powers here that well, must be kept in place." He nodded lightly, a soft smile to his face, getting a sigh from the man in front of him.

  
"You mean the wards based on love? No, the wards are losing power as we speak; Harry has no love here, and got none in return. Where he will be, he will be much happier, safer. I will make sure of it." He got up, cradling the boy against him. "I may perhaps see you at another time, Albus, or not... we shall see." He smiled and with a gentle tweak to his own nose, Santa and Harry Potter vanished in a puff of glittering dust. It was then Dumbledore heard the ringing of sleigh bells, as well as the much louder, extremely Jolly:

  
"HO, HO, HO! Merry Christmas!" Dumbledore rushed outside to see the sleigh vanish into the clouds, then he felt the magic of the man and his sleigh leave the area, he was gone. He frowned softly but felt his wand in his hand once more, a note attached to it.

  
_"Next time you are naughty, you do not get it back. ~S.C."_ Dumbledore read the note and sighed, what was he going to do now?

  
~GOSN~

  
Harry James Potter-Claus was sitting down in a previously empty compartment on the Hogwarts Express, sipping some cocoa momma Claus packed for him, enjoying the scene of students saying farewell to their parents and the like. Having been personally put on the train by his adoptive parents, he did not feel a lick of jealously or longing. He knew his birth parents had loved him, and knew it in his heart that they were happy he was so loved and well cared for. He was told, sternly but with care, to do his best in school. Sure, he had learned a lot of magic while home, but this was wand magic and he was told it would be good to learn this as well.

  
He could have gone to the Snow-Warden Academy in Canada, or the Alaskan Ice-sheet institute, but he wanted to come to Hogwarts, it was where his parents had gone. He was given a sleigh bell, to call his poppa to him at any time just in case, but he wanted to be as good as he could be on his own. He finished his cocoa and watched the cup vanish, a smile on his face as he was warm on the inside and out. He leaned back and sighed, and then the door opened rather abruptly.

  
"Hey, can I sit in here, everywhere is full." Said a redheaded child, with a bit of dirt on his nose, who looked just happy to have found a compartment.

  
"Sure, come on in!" He smiled softly, he had become just as joyous as his poppa over the last six years. Most of the time he was in a good mood and it took quite a bit to get him angry or agitated. "My name is Harry, what's yours?" He held out a hand to the redheaded child.

  
"Ron, Ron Weasley." Ron said, shaking Harry's hand with a small smile. "S'at hot cocoa I smell?" He sniffed after Harry helped him with his trunk.

  
"Yes it was, Ron, but I just finished it. My momma only packed enough for me, sorry." He frowned gently; he did love to sha- OH! He reached into his bag and hummed, before taking out a chocolate Santa Claus, handing it to Ron. "I have plenty of those, they are so good." Ron took it with an eagerness only a child can have when dealing with candy. It gave a trademark 'Ho, Ho, Ho!' before Ron bit into it and sighed.

  
"Oh, that’s so good!" He smiled as he ate the chocolate, and through bites thanked Harry for the treat. Harry nodded and waved him off, both of them talking about Hogwarts and other things, mainly quidditch. Ron was fascinated with it, and Harry told him truthfully he just preferred to fly about, not really play any spots. For a moment Ron seemed affronted, but then shrugged it off.

  
Most of the ride was uneventful, if you didn't count the three interruptions, two about a toad, and one with a boy looking for Harry, but not knowing his full name.

  
"I heard Harry Potter is on the train, has he been here?" Asked the blonde haired child, who looked as haughty as he was rich. Harry tilted his head and thought for a moment, and decided, why not.

  
"Well, you got my name mostly correct." Harry spoke, making Ron's eyes widen. He had been talking to Harry Bloody Potter and he didn't know it!? "It's Potter-Claus; I was adopted by the Claus's." He smiled and extended his hand, getting a shake from the other boy.

  
"Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." He spoke, and Ron was still too stunned to scoff at the name. "There are some families that are... more suitable than others to be around, Potter. I can help you with that, of course." He grinned and Harry frowned.

  
"Potter-Clause, or Harry if that's easier to remember." He nodded and let go of Draco's hand. "And what do you mean? Everyone's family has the potential to be suitable, but I am always open to make friends. Loads of friends! It's why I came to Hogwarts in the first place." He grinned and then gestured for Draco to sit. The boy declined, and with an upturned nose wandered off.

  
"What was tha-" Harry began, but was interrupted first by the door closing and then by Ron nearly yelling.

  
"Why didn't you tell me you were Harry Potter?!" The recovered boy asked, and Harry just shrugged.

  
"Eh, didn't seem all that important, really. And like I said, it's Potter-Claus. Or... just, Harry, like you've been calling me." He smiled and wriggled in his seat, hoping the conversation changed direction. Thankfully it did and the rest of the trip was uneventful.

  
~GOSN~

  
"Potter-Claus, Harry!" Said Minerva McGonagall in a clear, loud voice as she read the name of the next child to be sorted. Students and teachers alike gasped and whispered as Harry moved forward was... he skipping? He smiled with a gentle bow to the Deputy Headmistress and then sat on the stool. Not ten seconds on his head and the hat screamed out.

  
"HUFFLEPUFF!"

  
Harry got off the stool and returned the hat, his tie and trimming changing to the color of the badgers, with a little bit of snow white added in for good measure. He thanked the magic of the castle, nearly as old as his poppa, and went off to his new table. He greeted his new housemates and then watched the rest of the sorting. The kid he met on the train, Draco, went to Slytherin before the hat touched his head, and Harry politely clapped for him.

  
The feast went underway, and there was nothing at all out of the ordinary, though he did remember the headmaster, and he wondered if he'd want to talk to him. His poppa had mentioned that might happen, and he was prepared for that. As the students were being ushered out by the prefects, Professor McGonagall approached him.

  
"Mr. Potter-Claus, the headmaster would like to see you in his office." She said softly, a soft glint in her eyes as she looked into the sweet green gaze that had belonged to Lily. As she said this, his head of house came over, and spoke.

  
"Is that so? Well, I will bring Mr. Potter-Claus there, don't worry Minnie." Pomona Sprout said, making The Deputy head flinch gently at the nickname. She nodded and then went off to talk with her first years. Prof. Sprout gestured to the hall and Harry smiled and followed her. They talked, about all manner of things, and Pomona noted that being around Harry just made her feel in a much better mood. Not that she was in a bad mood to begin with, but it was a good feeling.

  
"Jelly Bellies." She spoke at the gargoyle to the headmasters office, making the child giggle as one his age would. They came to the door and a soft 'enter' had them entering the office, the Headmaster and Prof. Snape off to the side. The headmaster blinked but then smiled.

  
"Thank you, Pomona, for brining Mr. Potter to me. You may go." He said, looking at Harry who was lightly frowning.

  
"As his head of house, Albus, I shall be staying. I also believe that Mr. Potter-Claus prefers being referred to as such, is that correct?" She spoke, turning to Harry towards the end when she asked, and he nodded with a smile.

  
"Potter-Claus, very well. Please, have a seat, my boy." Dumbledore said, gesturing to the seat in front of him. Harry frowned again and then reached into his pocket, taking out some snow and blowing it off of his hand. It touched the floor just as he whispered 'chair' and a very comfy chair appeared.

  
"For you, Professor." He smiled at his head of house, and she smiled and sat down. She wriggled in her seat and looked at Harry.

  
"It's so very comfy, thank you, Mr. Potter-Claus." Harry nodded at her words and then took a seat.

  
"Yes, well, a wonderful display of magic, my boy. Tell me, how have you been these past years? I am sure you do not remember me, but I was there when you were taken from your home." Said Dumbledore, going for the grandfather routine, lacing his words with a tone of disappointment and worry.

  
"I remember you, headmaster, very well actually. I have been wonderful, thank you, but I don't like that tone of voice. Poppa did not take me from my home, I went with him. He granted me my wish, and now I have a family that loves me." He grinned and then offered his head of house a chocolate like he did Ron on the train.

  
"Ah, be that as it may, Mr. Potter-Claus, it is my duty to inform you that you shall be taken in by another family. Come Christmas, you shall have a new home." He smiled genially as he spoke, and was surprised that Harry did not protest, at least not in the fashion of a child his age.

  
"I doubt that, Headmaster, but dreams and wishes are good to have. Try to keep them on the doable side, though, those are easier. Is there anything else, headmaster? I am rather tired." Harry spoke, a yawn breaking through his words to show that he was indeed tired. The headmaster frowned, but waved him off. He knew what he was doing, perhaps the Weasley’s, yes... they would be a good family for him.

  
~GOSN~

  
Due to the presence of the heir of the actual Leader of the Light, the wards around the castle were stronger than ever. They pulsed and pumped with magic, safety and warmth for all the students within its walls. Because of this, the Troll that Quirrel tried to push into the doors was met with an impenetrable field. The troll was less than pleased, and that saw him smashing Quirrel quickly and going back into the forest. The shade that was Voldemort never made it past the ward line, and he was vanquished for good this time.

  
~GOSN~

  
Harry was excited, so very... very excited. It was the Yule/Christmas season, and that meant he got to see his poppa, and of course the reindeer! Oh, he couldn't wait! He giggled like the child he was and went to the great hall for breakfast. Two more days, that’s all he would have to wait. He could do that, after all, he had waited this long. It was the night before Christmas when the wards of Hogwarts alerted the headmaster that one of his students was missing. He checked the houses and then noticed that it was none other than Harry Potter himself.

  
The night was spent looking for the child, but to no avail. It was nearly midnight when the faculty finally went to bed, the elves to be on the lookout for the young boy. The faculty and students came into the great hall the next morning to see a marvelous sight indeed. The tree that had been brought in by Hagrid not two days ago was covered with more than just ornaments. It was littered with small gifts for everyone in the castle at the time, not to mention sweets and small singing snowmen and reindeer.

  
To top it all off, Harry Potter-Claus sat on a chair off to the side, with none other than his poppa: Santa Claus! Children, both young and old, gasped at the sight, and their eyes were wide with wonderment. Harry laughed at something Santa said and the audience was gifted with a merry 'Ho, Ho, Ho.' from the jolly man. He turned and smiled standing and spreading his arms in a wide arc before dramatically bowing.

  
"Merry Christmas, my oh so good children!" He grinned after that, and the students sent him a 'Merry Christmas' in return, earning a wide, genuine smile from the embodiment of the season.

  
"Mr. Potter, there you are. I will have you know that there was quite a fuss looking for you last night." Dumbledore said, tsk'ing softly. He did not get a response from Harry, however, but his poppa.

  
"Now, now, Mr. Dumbledore. You are well aware it is Potter-Claus, was the coal this year not warning enough?" Asked Santa, getting a gasp from the students. Dumbledore got coal!? The old man had the decency to look sheepish, but Santa was not done. "Besides, what would my sleigh ride be without my son, hmm? It just wouldn’t be the same at all! Enough of that, elves!" He spoke firmly, but happily. The elves of Hogwarts popped in and at seeing him they bowed with large grins on their faces.

  
"My friends, please, breakfast must be served to these famished children and staff." He said politely, the elves squeaking and nodding before they all popped off to do just that.

  
The rest of the morning, hell, the rest of the day was spent with merriment and wonder. From Santa sharing stories, to giving even more personal gifts, it was a day the students, and staff, of Hogwarts wouldn't soon forget. It seemed that with Harry Potter-Claus here, they could look forward to this every year, and they were ok with that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one of two Holiday uploads. Both were made well after my last snippet I posted, not going to be in order probably. Either way, hope it was enjoyed!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is 2/2 for the holiday posting. This one was written in the last couple of weeks. Enjoy!

Snippet #70: Greatfather Winter

  


Fifteenth year old Harry Potter rubbed the back of his hand as he walked the halls of Hogwarts, it was a little past midnight, but he was fine as he had his cloak on. His lovely new scar, courtesy of Prof. Umbridge, was still kind of sore, even after two days of no detention. Prof. McGonagall canceled his last week of detention, seeing as it was the holiday season. He had given her a smile of gratitude after that, but it was gone once Umbridge said he was getting double detention once the new year started, as he deserved. That almost put a sour mood on his whole vacation, but he tried not to let it get to him.

  


He sighed as he walked into the great hall, loving the decorations for Christmas, and smiling brightly as it was officially Christmas day, and that meant a beautiful feast in the morning and gifts from his family. He paused softly when he saw a figure by the large Christmas tree, having been in the process of taking his glasses off and cleaning them when he noticed it. He started walking, the tables large enough for him not to slam into them, when he noticed they were wearing all red. Ah, it was probably Hagrid, getting into the spirit of things. He took off his cloak, folding it gently over his arm, so he wouldn’t scare his largest friend.

  


“You’re up later than usual, Hagrid.” Harry said, putting his glasses on when he was about ten feet from the large man, who stopped and stood up. It was then that Harry noticed that no, this was not Hagrid. He blinked a few times… then his jaw dropped before he stuttered softly. “Bloody hell, you’re Santa!” He blurted out, before he put his hands over his mouth as the man laughed, and by Merlin it couldn’t be more authentic if he tried!

  


“Ho, Ho, Ho! Watch that language Harry.” Santa said, waving a finger with a twinkle in his eyes that Harry couldn’t help but smile at.

  


“Sorry, Mr. Claus.” Harry said, chastised, but still awed.

  


“Ho, ho. No, no… Santa is fine.” Santa said, before going over and sitting on one of the benches in the great hall, Harry going right after, smiling at the man. “What are you doing awake young man? It’s past your bedtime, I am sure.” He said, and Harry shrugged softly, before speaking.

  


“I couldn’t sleep.” Harry said, unconsciously stroking his hand, something that Santa noticed, but said nothing about. “What are you doing here, Santa?” He asked, and he got a soft chuckle from the man. “Right… it's Christmas.” He said, feeling a little silly. Then, he perked up with a bright smile. “I wanted to thank you… for those really, really nice socks in first year. That… was you, right?” He asked, and Santa nodded with a bright smile, his cheeks so rosy.

  


“Yes indeed, young Harry.” Santa said, smiling still. “I like to grace the first years of all the magical schools with something small, special that they can appreciate.” He said, and Harry nodded. “In these darker times though, perhaps a little something extra is needed, though.” He said, and then looked at Harry with a searching glance.

  


“What do you want most, for Christmas, Harry.” Santa asked, and Harry’s eyes widened. He started to think, there were so many possibilities! He frowned and thought, then he seemed about to speak, then he stopped and went back to thinking. After a few minutes he spoke, his tone heavy with a heartfelt desire.

  


“I… I love the Weasleys, and Hermione is great… but I’d like a family to be able to go home to. To miss through the year, but know that I will see them once I am out of school.” Harry said, and Santa nodded, stroking his bearded chin.

  


“Well, Harry, I will see what I can do for you.” Santa started. “It is no easy task, but I assure you I will try my best, if my name isn’t Santa Claus!” He said, his trademark ho’s following his words. Harry smiled, that was what he needed to hear. Even if it never happened, to hear a man such as this promise him such a thing, it made him feel worlds better.

  


“Thank you, Santa… thank you!” Harry said, and in a rare bit of him still being just a kid, he gave the large jolly man a hug. He got one right back, and then pulled away with a slightly bashful smile, and a muttered apology.

  


“No, need for that. We can all use a hug from time to time.” Santa said, and then he turned and cleared his throat. “Dobby.” He said, and said elf appeared in the blink of an eye. He gasped at the man in the big red suit, and in the next blink he was dressed like a proper Christmas elf.

  


“What can Dobby be doing for Greatfather Winter, and Master Harry Potter?” Dobby asked, his two most favorite people ever standing in front of him.

  


“Well, Mr. Dobby.” Santa said, and Harry could swear Dobby was about to faint. “I need a fresh gingerbread cookie for Harry here, and a nice warm glass of milk for him as well, if you please.” He said, and Dobby nodded before vanishing with a ~pop~. He arrived just as he left moments later, and presented them to Harry. “Thank you, Dobby.” He said, and Dobby beamed brightly.

  


“Yes, thank you, Dobby.” Harry said, taking a bite and sighing. “Oh, this is so good. Did you make this?” Harry asked, and at Dobby’s nod, he smiled again. “Excellent, Dobby… really great.” Dobby did almost faint that time, but he caught himself.

  


“You are most welcome, great master Harry Potter sir! Dobby is so very, very pleased to serve his great master Harry Potter sir.” Dobby said, before squeaking and leaving, a bow the last thing he gave the two men.

  


“I think I know what He’d want for Christmas, Harry, if you’re willing of course.” Santa said, and Harry nodded in understanding. “Well, off you go then, to bed with you Harry.” He wriggled his nose. “No getting caught now.” He said with a wink, and Harry nodded, finishing his cookie and milk before he thanked Santa one more time, and then he was off to bed after vanishing. Santa got up with a stretch, looking at the tree with a pleased smile, and then vanishing with the sounds of sleigh bells, and then there was silence.

 

  
~GFW~

  
  


Christmas at Hogwarts dawned bright and cheery, despite everything that had been going on that year. In fact, it seemed to be even more so than usual, especially once everyone got into the great hall. Everyone was there, even Madame Pomfrey, who had no ill students whatsoever. Prof. Trelawney, in a bit of rarity, was also sitting at the table. Her over-sized glasses making her eyes, as per usual, look like that of an over excited insect. Dumbledore rose, as he usually did right before feasts, and smiled as everyone looked at him.

  


“My dear, dear students, first I wish to greet you with a Happy Christmas!” Dumbledore said, getting it returned right back at him. “As per tradition, since Merlin knows when, we will be having our first years receiving gifts at the end of the feast.” He said, and the first years all gasped, looking up at him with wonderment. “Nothing overly extravagant, of course, just a little something. No-one knows just who does it, but it’s been here since before I was even born.” He chuckled at the light laughter that followed him, and was about to speak when he was interrupted.

  


“Hem-hem.” Coughed one Dolores Umbridge. “If you do not know who has done it, Headmaster, then I do not believe it should be allowed. Who knows who could harm our students.” She said, and then hesitated at the _furious_ glare that was given to her, by the headmaster. His tone, while not completely cold, made her shudder in a terrible way.

  


“You will not take this from the children, Dolores. The elves, not to mention the castle itself, would not allow them to come to harm. **_Sit_.** _**Down**_.” Dumbledore all but growled, and she nodded, sitting before he smiled and turned to the children. “Let us enjoy a lovely, morning feast.” He said, and the food appeared, just as he sat down.

  


The feast, as always, was magnificent and enjoyed. There was always a rivalry between houses, except on this day. There were no colors, no blood status, even from the most die-hard of purists and the like. The feast finished, and after a few more minutes of resting, Dumbledore stood again. He raised his wand with a bright smile.

  


“Happy Christmas!” Dumbledore said, swaying his wand lightly from the tree, and sending out the gifts. To his, and everyone else’s surprise, _everyone_ got a gift. Why, even he did. By Merlin, even Prof. Umbridge did! He chuckled softly and his eyes twinkled brightly. “Well, let us all enjoy a small tiding of good will on this most festive of days!” He said, and then sat down, just as everyone started opening their gifts. He would wait, he loved the expressions of the children, and he had so much more to watch this year.

  


~GFW~

  


Hermione looked at the small box she got, and tilted her head, but smiled. Oh, this was so nice. She opened the box and took out a small mirror, it was shaped like a book. She frowned slightly and ran her finger down its surface, gasping when an index came up, like a book. She then started scrolling, magic was a wonderful thing, and noticed titles from all kinds of books. Familiar books… books from the Hogwarts Library! She gasped softly and then pressed her finger to a title, one from the _restricted section,_ and the book opened! Just as she was about to start reading, the ‘page’ shimmered, and she saw the faces of her bewildered parents, the living room tree right behind them.

  


“Hermione?” Her mother asked, and said girl started to tear up, before she started to speak with her parents. What a gift!

  


~GFW~

 

Ron looked at his box, a bit small, but he didn’t care. Sometimes the best gifts came in small packages. He smiled and opened it up, tilting his head softly before he picked up a small note. He blinked and read it, then his eyes went wide.

  


_“I.O.U. One Chess match. ~Santa Claus.”_

 

Ron gawped softly, stroking the lettering, and feeling the magic in the golden letters. He shuddered and picked up the other thing inside, nearly dropping that. There, staring at him, chuckling softly, was Santa Claus. It was a chocolate frog card, and he knew… he just _knew_ that it was the only one… ever. He stroked it softly, smiling brightly before putting it back in the box. Oh, Happy Christmas indeed!

  


~GFW~

  


Harry looked at his box, it was flat and long, like a folder. He hummed and opened it, and at the top he saw official Ministry lettering, and he started to pant softly. He swallowed thickly, and his eyes shot to the red stamp at the bottom, covering Sirius Black’s name.

  


**EXONERATED**

 

Harry laughed, soft at first, and then there was a whoop of joy from him! He hugged the papers to him, sniffing softly. Santa had come through for him, he had given him the family he so desired. He wiped his eyes, smiling brightly as he looked it over again, oh this day could not get any better!

  


~GFW~

  


Multiple members, of multiple houses got very similar packages. Ranging from soft shiny baubles, to intricate jewelry and the like. They all came with a note, all very similar as well, but with their own personal touch and names to go with them.

  


_“There is always another way. When the time comes, there will be a home, a safe place for you. ~Santa Claus.”_

  


They could all feel the magic in it, familiar magic, transportation magic. Children of those who were expected to go into the dark, who were expected to serve a mad man, they received a way out… an escape Clause. Some chuckled, eyes misting in thanks, others just put it away with a soft nod to themselves. They would, they _could_ trust in Santa, every child knew that.

  


~GFW~

  


Severus spent a long time looking at his box, wondering just what it could be. He, several times, hesitated and moved his hand away before he could open it. He finally took a deep breath and opened the box, eyes softening and then brightening at it’s contents. Inside rested a small portrait frame, and the picture was that of him and Lily when they were so very young. When their friendship still meant something to them, when their troubles were nothing. It was a picture that had never been taken before, but Severus knew that it would be his to cherish forever. He picked it up and sighed, enjoying the smile on his face, along with his old, dearest friend. There would be no sorrow tonight, that he was sure of.

 

  
~GFW~

  


Minerva had a rather impressive pout at the top contents of her gift, especially as her nose picked up exactly what it was. Inside was a small cat toy, ladened with catnip. She huffed and picked it up, then gasped at what it had been sitting on. She put the toy to the side and picked up a similar picture frame as Severus has received, but this picture was different. It was one of the more missed pictures of her and her husband, one she had lost in a fire two decades ago. It was a picture of them laughing softly, his face covered in wedding cake, as they shared a kiss shortly after. Oh, there would be many happy tears tonight.

 

  
~GFW~

 

Sybill blinked as she looked into her box, it was shaped like a glasses case. She didn’t understand, though, as she was wearing her glasses. She shrugged and picked up the new pair, and took off her old ones. A few more blinks to adjust to the lack of vision, before she put the new ones on. They fit far better on her face, and when her eyes adjusted she gasped and leaned back, hand on her heart. She could See. Everything that had been clouded was clear as day, and in the case there was a note.

  


_“Your prescription was a bit off, Sybill, I hope you don’t mind me adjusting that for you. ~Santa Claus.”_

Her soft laughter had some professors looking at her, but they smiled as it was a happy one, and to be completely honest, those new glasses looked marvelous on the woman.

 

~GFW~

  


No body saw what Dumbledore received, but they all knew that whatever it had been was enough to make him at least look  ten years younger. No potion, no spell, but some kind of information that would give him happiness for the rest of his days.

  


~GFW~

  


Neville was glaring at his gift, it was wrong, and it had been very similar to Harry’s package. He frowned and then moved just a bit, when Harry sat next to him.

  


“Is this some kind of sick joke?” Neville asked, showing Harry the papers. Harry took them gingerly, and noticed a similar stamp on the papers, but it was much larger.

 

  
**HEALED**

 

Harry looked over the papers, and then noticed everything was as official as his had been. He smiled at his friend, giving the papers back and shaking his head.

  


“No, Mate… its real.” Harry said, and showed Neville his own papers, and Neville’s eyes went wide. He took the papers and bolted out of the great hall, there was no way he was staying in the castle another second.

  


~GFW~

 

Luna opened her slightly larger box, not noticing the air holes on the side. Her head tilted, like a curious bird, before she yelped softly as something jumped from the box and clung to her desperately. Her hand went to the back of the creature on her chest, and her other went to the note in the box.

  


“He was scared and alone, poachers got his mother, do take care of him, will you? ~Santa Claus.”

 

Luna looked down at the creature, a small, six eyed and striped gorilla like creature. His stripes were a slightly dull red and blue, but surely they would grow more vibrant with age. The most defining features were the growing, but short, _crumpled_ horns on his head. Luna gasped and snuggled it close, getting a pleased noise in return, before she started to speak to him, offering him some vegetables that had appeared shortly after the note was read.

 

  
~GFW~

  
  


“WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!?” Prof. Umbridge screamed, standing in all her ire. She drew the attention of most of the hall, and then the whispers and murmurs got the attention of the rest of the hall. In her hand, darkening her fingers, was the largest piece of coal anyone present had ever seen. She was about to start screeching again when she was silenced, by the headmaster.

  


“Do not make me remove you from the hall, Dolores. You can rant and rave in your own time, or perhaps tomorrow.” Dumbledore said, and though he was very much in charge, he was still in a good mood. “It seems, whomever decided to gift everyone this year, decided you deserved coal. Perhaps you should think on that, in your quiet silence. Now, once again, sit down.” He said, and she huffed before she dropped the coal on the table and stormed off.

  


Dumbledore shook his head, and with a wave of his wand the coal vanished, along with its marks on the table. The students went back to enjoying their gifts, the chattering going back to more pleasant things, it was a marvelous day after all.

  


~GFW~

  


The next day dawned bright and cheery, just like the day before. It was boxing day, and though the normal cease-fire in terms of rivalries was lifted, there was still a distinct lack of said rivalry around. Prof. Umbridge was still fuming at the table, wanting nothing more than to rip into everyone and get the information she so desired. She really couldn’t give her ‘favorite’ student detention, there were no classes and the like, they were all on vacation after all. She was about to call attention to the students, to try and get someone to confess, when the doors opened. Immediately the headmaster was up, a stern look on his face, ready to jump into the defense of the children if needed.

  


“Identify yourself.” Dumbledore said, his tone brokering no argument, whatsoever, as to the desired outcome of his statement.

 

“Greatfather Winter, is my favorite, my boy.” The man said, his robes were _immaculate_ , in their beautiful red and white trim. His beard fluffy and just as white, his eyes twinkling and vibrant. Dumbledore faltered softly at being called a boy, but then he watched the man in red get almost bowled over by Harry Potter.

  


“Thank you, Santa.” Harry said, and due to the silence of the hall, everyone heard. Then, there were gasps of delight and murmurs of merriment.

  


“You’re most welcome young man, now… I think there is someone behind me who wants to see you.” Santa said, and Harry moved to see Sirius, arms wide open. Harry ran to the other man, actually bowling him over, tears of joy on his face. None were afraid, they had all heard, and most had seen proof, of the papers clearing Sirius Black. They knew they were real, Santa did not make fake things like that.

  


“Sirius Black?!” Prof. Umbridge said, coming out from behind the table, waddling really, with her wand in hand. “Move, boy! This man is a wanted criminal!” She said, and was waylaid by the headmaster, he was allowed to apparate in his castle. He held a hand up, waiting for her to stop.

  


“He was cleared, of all charges, Madame.” Dumbledore said, the sputtering witch looking at him confused. “Signed by the minister himself.” He said, and she huffed and stowed her wand. Dumbledore then turned and smiled at the jolly man, who was getting thanks and waves from various students, and then he was surprised when Argus came up to him, speaking in hushed tones. Santa nodded and patted him on the shoulder, before Argus came up to Dumbledore.

  


“I got a job offer, Albus… going to be working with the the Claus’ you see.” Argus said, and Dumbledore chuckled softly.

  


“Do what you must, my old friend.” Dumbledore said, patting the man on the shoulder just as Santa did. “Do keep in touch, will you? You know my floo address.” He said, a twinkle in his eye, and Argus nodded before going off to pack to leave, Mrs. Norris purring in his arms.

  


Santa looked around and then came up to Dumbledore, shaking the man’s hand and smiling brightly. He had brought a few of his elves, perhaps three dozen or so, and they vanished to help the Hogwarts elves. He moved to the head table and sat beside the venerable headmaster, smiling brightly as his own glasses were perched on his nose just like DUmbledore’s.

 

“I hope you don’t mind me dropping in, but it is not often I get to be around so many children.” Santa said, and Dumbledore waved it off, smiling brightly. Sure, he was one hundred and thirteen years old, but this was Santa for Merlin’s sake! “I was wondering, if you would be agreeable to have me… enjoy a few months here, before the season starts for me again.” He asked, chuckling softly.

  


“My good sir, I would see nothing at all wrong with that, I assure you.” Dumbledore said, and even Umbridge couldn’t say anything to that. All evidence pointed to it, from the elves, to the beard and the rosy cheeks. This man was Santa Claus, he was as light as they came. Sure, he had no stake in the ministry, but he was here… for the children. She huffed as she watched the exchange, she’d have to talk to minister!

 

  
~GFW~

 

There were a few things certain in life, Cornelius Fudge thought to himself, and one of them was the man he had just spoken to: Greatfather Winter. He sat down at his desk at the ministry, and held his head in his hands. This was… the news he had received was _monumental_. To say the absolute least, that was for sure. He took a deep breath and pressed a rune on his desk, a mirror appearing.

  


“Amelia Bones.” Fudge said to the mirror, and it shimmered for a moment before a surprised Head of the DMLE appeared.

  


“Minister?” Bones asked, and he took a deep breath before speaking.

  


“I need you in here immediately, Amelia. You and Scrimgeour, and perhaps Shacklebolt. There is no time to waste, at all.” Fudge said, so very… very serious, and she nodded before closing the connection. Good sweet Merlin, what a way to start the new year.

 

  
~GFW~

 

The next several months were a whirlwind of news and activity, and not all of it was good news and business. Many prominent members of the Wizengamot were tried and convicted for being terrorists, and enemies of the state. Some managed to flee, but there would be a constant look out for them in the future, they would have no place safe to hide.

  


The man who styled himself a lord, the one called Voldemort, was no match for a people that were willing and able to defend themselves. He tried a takeover, but it was met not only with resistance, but determination. It also didn’t help, that the literal Lord of the Light, was there to help. Tom Riddle had closed his heart to Santa, to the love and merriment the man brought wherever he went, so it was fitting that his demise was assisted in such a way.

 

Santa took no joy in it of course, another child harmed that he could not save. However, he had saved so many others by helping to put one lost soul down. He would stay in the castle until September, where he greeted the children on their first day, and was then off. He left with a smile on his face, and the inhabitants of the castle and Hogsmeade got to witness the first reindeer flight of the season, the bells tinkling, the snow falling, a sign of pure sweet things to come.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As with my last snippet, a Merry Christmas, or holiday, to everyone!

**Author's Note:**

> There is the first one, I will try and post them once or twice a week until I catch up. If anyone wants to read what I have so far (49 chapters on another site), then message me. Enjoy, and review if possible, thank you.


End file.
